Novel D-INJECT Volume 1 (Contemporary Sci-FI/Action Seinen)

Hey there potential readers! This is my main series of stories called D-INJECT. It is currently two volumes long and also has self published official releases with some extra content should anyone be interested. I'll be posting the whole of Volume 1 here in this thread. If you all enjoy it and want more I will consider posting Volume 2.

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Genre: Contemporary Sci-FI/Action Seinen

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You can also find this story over on Royal Road, as well as my blog. If you good give my website some love, or maybe even give me a review over on Royal Road, I'd appreciate it a ton!

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Getting a second chance at life isn't always as amazing as we think it will be. Gaining superhuman abilities may not bring us some sort of advantage to our minuscule existence. At the age of 16, Heaven watched his father burn alive at the hands of a young woman who can wield fire. He was saved by a mysterious scientist who gave him a second chance at life and the power to manipulate dark and light matter. With the aid of these new powers and a sadistic Second Personality downloaded into his brain, Heaven fights to avenge the death of his father, But that revenge only brings him deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole as he slowly uncovers more of the secrets of his old life.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1: When Heaven and Hell Align
Chapter 2: "Why Won't You Stand?"
Chapter 3: Heaven and Earth
Chapter 4: The Man Within the Flame
Chapter 5: Scream thy Name
Chapter 6: A Lone Wolf Enters the Fray
Chapter 7: Demons
Chapter 8: Chasing Flames
Chapter 9: One Thousand Bullets
Chapter 10: Mind Zero
Chapter 11: A Rose Bears its Thorns
Chapter 12: Ash Rains Down on the Frost Lily
Chapter 13: The Folly of Vengeance
Chapter 14: A God Awakens
Chapter 15: Where the Sleeping Lie​

 

Chapter 1: When Heaven and Hell Align
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Let me tell you a tale. It's a long one, to say the least. This story is a comedy, but also a tragedy. It is a story of war and loss, of love and hope, of misery and despair. It is the record of my life, and of the lives that twisted and tangled with my own. It is a modern fantasy, an epic of how the world transformed. Whether the world changed for better or worse, I could not tell you. This is a legend of Gods and of Men.

It all began with evolution. The natural process in which living things adapt and change to their environment. Evolution brought humanity this far into the modern era. But in recent years, humanity grew arrogant and complacent with itself. Mankind knew nothing of the impatience of Mother Nature, and her willingness to act through her own creations. A small group of humans awoke to their stagnant reality and sought change. These people would attempt to bring us to the future, by whatever means necessary. This desire for a bright future was the spark of Earth's transformation.

It’s funny, to think that Nature had sought the aid of Science to push humanity from the grip of complacency. No one could have expected just how violent the journey to the future would be. The union of Nature and Science would bring forth a gathering of ashen clouds. A seemingly endless rain of blood would shower the Earth. The cries of the fallen would haunt the air. Many would remember the great storm for decades to come. It was to be an event of epic proportions.

To think, I had lived my life oblivious up to that point. I never realized that humanity's bloody warpath of progress had continued in secret. I couldn't see the crimson rain cast down from above. Instead, I saw sunny blue skies and puffy white clouds. The world had trapped me in its illusory embrace. I was blind to the prices paid by humanity. Prices paid in blood and flesh. Few knew of the souls sacrificed to achieve a greater good. But it seemed that my ignorance was the most sinful of all. It seemed that I was the only one worth punishing.

This is not a happy story. It's the tale of an ignorant boy. This is the story of how Science and Nature conspired against that same boy. They punished him severely for his transgressions against destiny. This is the story of how I died.

*****​

I lived in Evo City, a man-made island located in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean. It was built far enough from the equator to grant it all four seasons. Just as Nature desired. It was the one way she held dominion over a city built by men of Science. Within this island, men worked to establish power over evolution. By the will of Science, men experimented on their own humanity and forced it to evolve. Day after day, man strived for transcendence to no avail.

The island itself was rather large and even had its own government. It stood alone, away from cancerous ties to the empires of the world. Many people came to the city to escape imperialist politics and live in comfort. The city had a Residential District full of affordable housing. There was an Entertainment District for pleasures both innocent and depraved. Even an abandoned Slum had emerged within the outer parts of the city. All these districts connected to Center City, the economic heart of Evo. Center City was where people went to fulfill their daily routines, or shop to keep the economy moving. Center City also housed the offices of the city's government. The title of "Heart of the City" was more than fitting. All that just to fund human experimentation. It was quite the con when you think about it. So many sheep flocked towards a shepherd made of fool's gold. Nature and Science seemed to be irresistible. After all, mankind was born of Nature’s womb and fell in love with Science.

*****​

Rain fell upon the luminous city of midnight covering the ground with a shimmering coat of aqua. My clothes felt damp and heavy as heavenly tears came crashing down on the world below. I trudged along the shining, wet pavement with a hood wrapping my face in cold shadow. I could see my reflection within the deep puddles of the road. Staring back at me was a sharp, pale face wearing a sullen expression. Twin colored eyes glared from within the rippling dark. My left eye was completely black like the void of the puddle below. My right eye bore a simple pupil shielded by its white halo. Messy, jet black strands of hair stemmed down from my scalp into sharp, unkempt bangs. I looked contemplative, like a young Greek statue. But unlike the Greeks, my body was lithe and common. Agility was my forte as opposed to Olympian strength.

Simplistic clothing adorned my lanky figure. A white t-shirt beneath blue checkerboard hoodie safeguarded my torso in cloth. Simple black pants and shoes shielded my legs and feet from the elements. I didn't complicate my appearance, nor did I really take pride in it. I dressed simply, with a hint of style.

I sank into the glare of my reflection for some time, until the sound of sirens approached the alleyway. Red and blue lights poured into the backstreet. A voice that was not my own began to ripple throughout my mind.

"Hostile contacts moving in at twelve and six," said the voice in near monotone.

An irritated sigh of warm breath danced with the cold rainy air. I saw police cruisers pull up to the alleyway. The Evo City Police Department emblem displayed itself along the doors with pride. I sighed to myself and focused on channeling energy. I felt my hand begin to tingle as what looked like a pulsating black sphere enlarged above my open palm. The orb began to contort and transfigure into the shape of a longsword held tight in my grasp. The blade was blacker than the rainy night sky and looked as endless as the universe. The weapon looked as if the fabric of reality around it was being consumed into its abyssal depths. With a swift motion I tore open a gash in the space ahead of me, and I escaped into the black matter. The police officers stormed the alley in search of their suspect only to find silence. I had vanished from perceivable reality and slipped away from their sight, but they were still in mine. I watched as they searched for their target. I could see the police officers speaking to each other, but no sound could enter my ears.

"What are they saying?" I muttered.

"They are looking for you. We can take them out here, or we can let them go for the time being."

I sat lying in wait as the officers continued to search the area. I could've dispatched them with little effort. It wouldn't be the first time I had killed someone. But if I attacked, it could have resulted in some unwanted attention from the ECPD. My existence was meant to be a best-kept secret. There could be no witnesses to the kind of power I possessed. I lived in the cracks and crevices of a world where flesh creatures lust for the will to dominate. But, at the same time, I knew I could leave those officers chasing their tails. While that meant they might eventually find me, I would still be a low priority target. The cops had much bigger fish to fry. I was considering leaving the officers alive until the voice swayed my decision.

"You’re gonna have to decide quickly. She knows where you are," said the voice with a great sense of urgency.

I immediately broke free from my shroud and emerged in reality. I cleaved into a police officer with my blade of dark matter. The officer fell to the ground with a large gaping wound. A gash stretched from the officer's left shoulder and tore through his torso like a canyon. It was like my sword had erased part of his body. I summoned another blade to my free hand as the officers opened fire. A sword of glowing white matter shimmered with light that rose from the blade like smoke. I swiftly blocked the bullets with my light blade as they hurtled towards me. A simple flick of the wrist guided my black blade with great speed. Within seconds I stepped back into negative space as gunfire rang out into the rainy sky. I wanted to make a scene. I was sending a signal flare for the one who was hunting me. It would only be a matter of time before she arrived.

Soon enough, the inferno had found me. Yet I remained hidden in the void as she reaped the souls of her foes with flames. I could see her with my waking eyes. Crimson hair flowed behind her with the same chaos as the flames she wielded. Her eyes were blue like ice, with reflections of embers dancing across her gaze. Her figure was slender and pale like a ghost.

A tight corset of black leather clung to her curves and pushed up her bust. A red on black plaid skirt covered her waist as a pair of fishnet stockings climbed up her legs. The boots she wore on her feet were tall and brought forth a powerful presence from within the glamour. The boots were black, of course, with belts and buckles wrapping around their length.

A pleasure filled grin stretched to the edges of her beautiful face as she burned her foes to ash. It was only when that last survivor begged for his life, that I emerged to face her. The woman wreathed in hellfire. The woman who brought this fate upon me. The woman who killed my father. The woman who killed me.

I glared at my foe as she stood holding the body of a dead cop. I watched in anger as the cop's body crumbled into dust that fluttered down to the wet pavement.

"You’re a tough one to find," she said with an almost flirty tone.

"Only when I don't want to be found," I responded before silence overtook us.

We stared into each other’s eyes with murderous intent. The air around me rose in temperature slowly before finally igniting into a storm of flames. I leapt above the fire and found myself closer to my target. I brought my light blade down upon her. My strike collided with a flame-imbued arm as the woman took a defensive stance. I swung my abyssal sword as she blocked its twin only for her to defend once more. The strike of my blade grazed her hand, erasing the flames that enveloped it. That was when I struck. I slashed her arm with my light sword and kicked her back. She flew backward and skidded along the wet pavement as I approached. She grinned to herself as she licked the blood from her wound.

"You’ve gotten stronger. I like it."

The burning girl stretched out her arm and unloaded a barrage of fireballs from her palm. I reacted in an instant and recalled my dark blade. Black matter gathered at my palm in a pulsating sphere as I guided my hand. The space in front of me tore open like cloth erasing every projectile that came near it.

"You have no idea."

I summoned my black sword back to my hand and charged towards my enemy with furious footsteps. The girl began to channel flames through her hands. Steam began to rise from puddles as they bubbled and boiled over. The voice in my head shouted with utmost urgency.

"Stop! You can’t survive her next attack!"

It was too late. She let out a blood-curdling scream of rage and sent a massive blast of white flames towards me. Without even thinking, I sliced my way into negative space and hid away from the blaze. I sighed in relief as I just barely escaped being burned to a crisp. My eyes locked on the woman as she searched for me in a rage.

"You are still much stronger than me," I said under my breath.

She was always stronger than me. She was strong since the day I first encountered her. The day she ended my life in the blink of an eye.

*****​

People long ago used to believe in Abraxas, the god who saved humanity from a fake world. A German writer talked about the world being like an egg. For a bird to be born it must destroy the egg, the world. The day I died, I emerged from the egg and destroyed the world I called home. I have flown to Abraxas. I have long since seen the true world and destroyed the egg. The world that trapped me within its perpetual fantasy. The life I lived was no more than a dream that I awoke from. My own life was the egg that I had left behind shattered. Yet, it is a dream I still wish I could go back to. I would have given anything to return to the broken shell that remained. For the pleasures of my new existence are few and far between. Abraxas has saved me, yet I continue to resent the god’s help.

My life began on a sorrowful note. My mother passed away giving birth to me. My father kept her death from me until he thought I could handle hearing those words. It's something I remember blaming myself for. My father always told me my mother was beautiful, and that it was not my fault that she died. I can barely remember the first and last time I saw her. I like to think she was beautiful, a goddess in her own right.

My father, on the other hand, reminded me of a knight out of a fantasy world. He was a strong and brave man who would protect me with his life if it came to it. But, I don't think he ever anticipated that his promise would seek fulfillment. Even then, he laid his life down for me without hesitation. He died a proud warrior to the bitter end.

*****​

I remember it as clear as day. The day my world shattered like glass. My father had brought me to the street mall that had just opened up in Center City. The sky was bright and cheery that day. Everything seemed perfect, as things often do before tragedy strikes. It was the subtle calm before the storm.

It happened in a flash. An explosion ripped its way through the east side of the market. Panic flooded into the streets, carried by smoke and fire. As the dust finally settled, I saw her. The girl who would kill me. Her scarlet hair appeared to glow like the flames she wielded. I looked on in shock as she picked people up one by one and dug her scolding hands into their skin. The girl watched in bliss as her victim's flesh and bone atomized in her clutches. I could hear the chilling screams of every single person destroyed by that girl’s power.

I remember turning back to my father and shouting at him to do something. He was frozen in place. I tried my best to get him to snap out of his daze. I kept shaking his arm and tugging on his collar. I had no idea how futile my actions were. Every attempt to try and drag my father from his stupor would have no effect. My mind was just forcing me further and further into denial. It was only when I began to give up that the illusion broke apart, and I saw the truth. My father was burned alive by the girl’s flames. The fire charred and tore through my father's body. He was completely unrecognizable. His skull was almost completely exposed and crumbling into dust. I stood there in absolute disbelief as I saw the face of my father, mutilated by that girl’s flames. I watched as my father’s body slowly disintegrated. I was too scared to even shed a tear as I clung to his decaying hands before they finally faded away on the wind. I remember screaming. I didn't cry in panic. Instead, my tears were shed in rage and sorrow. I felt a feeling swelling up inside me that I had never known. My father became nothing more than a memory. The good life I had was gone and I was left alone.

My breath felt hot as I glared at the woman while she strolled through her killing fields with glee. And in that moment of suffering, I did the unthinkable. I felt an unfathomable rage fill me as I charged towards the woman. I surged forth, letting loose a terrifying battle cry. I did not stop when I saw that fearsome grin of hers. In one swift motion, she hurled a single ball of flame towards me. I felt my survival instincts take control, as I dodged the incoming blast. The woman didn’t seem too surprised and began to fire off a few more blasts. I took cover behind a pile of rubble and began to breathe heavily. Scorched bodies lay at my feet, some still breathing and staring at me with eyes begging for life. My mind was racing with fear as fireballs shattered into clouds of embers against the rocks. Soon, my fate wouldn’t be much different from the ashen corpses strewn around me. I could hear the woman speaking firmly, as she walked ever closer to my cover.

"Come out and fight me, kid! It’s your own life you're wasting here! Might as well go out a hero, right?"

I clenched my fists tight as I prepared myself. I planned to dash from my hideaway and tackle the burning woman.

"Good luck saving what’s left, kid," said the woman in a malicious tone.

I felt the weight of her words drag my heart into the depths of despair. My body was drenching itself in sweat. Rage consumed me. She was taunting me. She had no value for life. Her view of humanity was skewed and malformed. She believed everyone below her to be weaklings, and that she was the top of the food chain. To her, those who could not stand up to her or surpass her had no right to live. Her power was immense, there was no way I could resist her for long. I was only human. Despite my fear, I still felt my body vault over my shield of rubble and charge towards the woman.

"That’s it. Come to me," the woman muttered to herself.

I watched her body begin to glow with an immense white light and felt the air burning away at my skin.

I can't recall much after that. I saw a white flash and felt a heavy pain on my back. I remember blinking in and out of consciousness while feeling pain throughout my entire body. Everything hurt. I could only feel that heavy, numbing pain. With each flash of consciousness, I stared at that woman in absolute, soul-crushing fear. But then, something else wormed its way out of the blackest pits of my fear. I felt acceptance.

I felt a gentle warmth overcome me as I tried to sit up against the stone wall I had been flung into. I was feeling content. I gave my fate a pained smile with whatever energy I had left. The woman came ever so close, with fire in her fingertips. I had accepted death. Back then, the thought of going on to be with my father didn’t seem so bad. After a while, I couldn’t even feel the pain anymore. I was ready to leave. Memories from sixteen years of life flashed in my mind. The woman approached and crouched down in front of me. A menacing smile carved itself into her face. She dragged her hand gently across my burned head as she spoke.

"I’ll give you some credit, you lasted much longer than most. Tell you what, I’m a nice girl. I’ll give you a little reward."

I stared at the woman with wounded eyes as she stood. Then, out of nowhere, I felt a sharp kick to my scorched stomach. I screamed out in agony as I slumped over from the blow. The woman grinned as she raised her leg to kick me once more.

"Your reward is a long and agonizing death! A fitting death for someone who can take the pain~!"

The woman dropped her foot into the back of my skull. I felt the heel of her boot press me into the smoldering stone ground. I screamed out in unbearable pain as I felt the skin of my face sizzle and peel away. The smell of my own searing flesh invaded my nostrils. My mind was stuck on a loop. The same four words kept repeating in my head.

"I’m going to die! I’m going to die! I’m going to die!"

The woman continued to grin as she licked her lips. She tilted my head up from the chin and stared into my bloodshot eyes. I felt her fist pound right into my cheek over and over and over again. An inescapable rain of blows fell upon me. I felt like any second my jaw would break off from its joints. Finally, she kicked me back to the ground and I let out a raspy scream as a sharp sting shot all throughout my back. The woman, still flashing her murderous smile, began to stomp onto my weakened chest.

My hands stretched towards the clear blue sky as it cast its warm light down onto the decimated ground. I couldn't even continue screaming as I felt my ribs crunch and collapse on my lungs. Blood began to flow from my mouth onto my burnt flesh, bringing me only more pain. The woman continued to stomp into my long since collapsed chest. Finally, she placed her foot on my shoulder and grasped my hand. She pulled on my arm with all her power and I felt every snap and tear. After seconds that felt like hours, my arm broke off from my shoulder, and then she broke my other arm. I couldn’t even scream anymore. All I could do was stare at the peaceful sky above in unbearable misery.

Next, she would break my legs. My whole body was a plaything for this sadistic pyromaniac. I couldn’t escape her, I couldn’t even crawl. I was stuck, flat on my back, body burned and bloody, with all my limbs broken. The woman flashed a satisfied smile at her work and glared at me with familiar ferocity.

"I think you’re ready to die now. The flames will slowly tear you down into nothing. I hope you’ve made peace with whatever god you pray to."

I saw the woman gather flames into her palm. That ball of flame would be the thing to kill me. I gave the woman a nod as if to say "do it." She smiled and hurled that ball of fire towards me. I could see it heading towards my eyes in slow motion. Each second felt like an eternity in Inferno. The memories of my life continued to play out like a movie. This was it, there was nowhere to go but forward. Forward into the fire. I closed my eyes and smiled as I welcomed the end. I wanted to die with a smile.

I remember hearing a strange sound as I embraced Death's skeletal body. In that moment I pulled myself from Death's bony arms and opened my eyes. That was when I first laid eyes upon him. Someone had come to save me, but he was no knight in shining armor. This knight’s armor was a coat blacker than the deepest abyss. He was beautiful, with his jet black hair glistening in the light of the flames. Thin, square shaped glasses rested gently on the bridge of his nose. A single finger pushed the frames against his face as he glared at his opponent. He looked to be a number of years older than me. His thin body cleverly disguised the strength and weight of a legendary warrior. All his clothes were completely black like a shadow. The most noticeable article being his long coat that waved in the wind. Its blood red interior brought out a fierce contrast to the abyssal black. His jet gloves had white lines running over-top his knuckles. Clutched in his right hand was his Excalibur. A large Scottish Claymore. An old and simple weapon for such a brave, yet strange man. I could barely hear what he said to the woman, but one thing stood out.

"You really have lost yourself, haven’t you, Nina?"

Nina. That was her name. The name of the woman who killed my father. I was alone because of her. I watched as the strange man stared down Nina. Nina chuckled as she channeled flames through her palms.

"And you haven’t changed one bit, Genesis!"

I watched as a flurry of flames surged towards the strange man named Genesis. In seconds, the raging flames were cut down into nothing but embers by a simple steel blade. I would have been amazed had I not been waning in and out of consciousness. Everything was just a blur. I remember watching the man named Genesis fighting that girl, Nina. I remember feeling hands lift me onto what I believed to be a stretcher of some sort. Then there was nothing, just the blackness. I was surrounded by shadows.

*****​

Everything blurred together into one confusing memory after I was taken from the street mall. I remember seeing the man named Genesis talking to another man with long blond hair. The blond man said something strange, but I was so broken and beaten that it was almost impossible to hear. I can only remember a single sentence said by the blond man.

"The boy is important, we have no choice but to proceed ahead of schedule."

My consciousness started to fade as I heard Genesis' voice.

"But is he even ready to accept his fate?" responded Genesis with concern.

I blacked out again after that. My eyes wouldn’t open again until I was brought into what looked like a laboratory. The lab was completely white, like the heavens. Light seemed to flood into the room from the corners and edges. I watched as the blond haired man looked at me with sorrow consuming his eyes. I could barely hear, but I could read the words coming from his lips.

"I’m so sorry," the blond man muttered as he prepared a syringe.

The man held up the small syringe and flicked it twice. I soon felt the needle of the syringe penetrate straight into my neck with gentle precision. I clenched my teeth as the needle pierced its way through my charred flesh. The blond man was injecting something into my veins. My eyes began to widen as a strange sensation came over me. It felt like something was invading my body. Black and white flashes danced in my vision. My body jerked violently with each sudden flicker. Something was happening to me. What was happening to me? Fear and inquiry dragged me back into the depths of unconsciousness. My vision faded taking the flashes with it as I fell into a coma once more.

I came back to consciousness in what felt like seconds. This time, I awoke to the sound of an electric razor. I could feel the buzzing of the razor as it shaved off the hair that remained on my burned skull. I remember clenching my fist in pain as the scientist continued to shave me bald.

After removing my remaining patches of hair, the blond man laid me on my back and put me under anesthetic. Despite the anesthesia, I still could feel a slight, yet sharp, pain in my skull. It felt like someone was tunneling their way into my brain. Something was inserted into my brain. My mind had been invaded by some foreign device. I began to go into a panic.

"Something was in my mind. Something in my brain. Boring a hole in my brain. Something. Brain. Something. Boring. Brain. Boring. Hole in Brain. Boring."

My thoughts became a jumbled, incoherent mess. My breath grew heavy, my heartbeat quickened.

"Just what the hell are they doing to me!?" is what I thought as I endured this bizarre intrusion on my mind.

Then, a cornucopia of bizarre colors clouded my vision with bright explosions of chromatic light. My whole brain felt like it was about to split in two. The sharp pain in the back of my head worsened. Colors continued to flash in front of my mind’s eye. My body felt like it began to seize violently with each new flash of color. There was a ringing in my ear and it kept getting louder. A surge of information flooded over me in seconds. More colors flashed. The pain grew worse. The ringing was all I could hear. The sound kept me from being able to think, my brain was falling apart.

"My brain, the skull being drilled through. The blood. I'm going crazy!" was the only thought that escaped the vivid explosions.

This torture went on for only ten minutes, yet it felt like ten thousand years of psychotropic insanity. Ten thousand years of unimaginable sensations that had flushed out my brain. Everything that was once me was being overwritten, like computer data. When at last I woke up from the nightmare, I heard a voice. I heard a voice inside my head.

"Where am I?"

 

Chapter 2: "Why Won't You Stand?"
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Time passed by in a slow haze. I had no sign of what was minutes and what was days. I awoke within the confines of what I can only describe as a white box. The room was completely empty, save for the black chair I woke up in. I couldn’t tell where the walls were, let alone the door. The room was an endless expanse of white light that was almost blinding. It felt like the afterlife. Had I journeyed through the tunnel of shadow? Had I gone through the door of light? Was I at the Gates of Heaven or the Gates of Hell? Or was I sent into endless Purgatory? I looked around at the perpetual white space with blank curiosity.

"Is this…? The afterlife?"

For a while, I was alone with only my voice and the quiet to keep me company. My curious voice echoed throughout the deep chamber of alabaster. When the echo resolved, all that remained was my heavy breathing and the steady thump of my heart. All was quiet amidst the emptiness. But the silence was not to last.

A single voice pierced through the domain of silence. A voice that was not my own, yet it spoke using my own lips. It was a voice that was not my own. I felt my mouth move on its own as words that did not belong to me came tumbling out.

"Far from it. Welcome to the land of the living."

Panic struck me like lightning. I screamed and felt my chair tip backward as I stumbled to the ground. I was breathing heavy as I felt anxiety take hold while the voice continued to speak through me. My lips became a conduit for this voice's existence.

"Relax kid, relax! You’re gonna be fine!"

I couldn’t relax. Too much had happened, and it was all coming back. Images of my father’s body burning and crumbling to ashes replayed over and over. I curled up on the floor in my astonishment and screamed to the heavens in the ceiling. My body felt heavy, like cinder blocks were strapped to my back. I couldn't move. My heart was beginning to pound against the confines of my ribcage. All I could hear was that quickening heartbeat. My chest felt like it would explode with each thump of my aching heart. The pain was unbearable, and yet I couldn’t even scream anymore. I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. My whole body was soaking with sweat. It wasn’t long before I blacked out yet again from the shock.

I descended deeper into the darkness of my recent past. I found myself falling headfirst into the pits of shadow. Ghastly wails assaulted my ears without mercy. Screams that were all too familiar chanted in a chorus of maddening cries. It was the same ambience that imprinted itself upon my memory. These were the screams of all those that Nina killed that day. Out of nowhere, flames pierced through the veil of shade surrounding me. Massive plumes of fire, the size of mountains, painted the bleak landscape. My eyes opened within this terrifying plane as I felt myself flip over and land on my feet. I looked around the inferno before me and saw a figure standing in the distance. A black silhouette with a long coat waving in the wind of the storm. I tried my best to get closer to the figure in the distance. I stretched my hand out to the figure as I stumbled forward through the smoke and fire. The wind and the flames all pushed against me, making it even harder to move. Every step felt like it carried the weight of every lost soul Nina claimed. All the torturous weeping grew louder and louder as I continued to walk forward. Through the cacophony of cries, I heard a voice that parted the sea of torment.

"Come on, son. Keep walking."

I felt my legs give in from the moment those words reached my ears. The voice was unmistakable. The voice that pierced through the veil of horror belonged to my father. My father's voice had ripped through the burning air and gripped my heart like a vice. My will to go on was shattered.

The flames sent me tumbling into the ground while they began to eat at my legs. I howled as I felt the fire tear through to my bones and nerves. In that moment, the flames swarmed me like starved rats feasting on a corpse. As I struggled against the fire, I heard my father’s voice once more.

"You’re almost there son."

I didn’t understand, but I kept crawling. I kept crawling as the flames had turned my legs to ashes. A trail of human dust lingered behind me as I dragged my burning torso across the abyssal floor. I lacked the breath to scream anymore. I felt my own blood claw at my lungs beckoning them to break free from their bony prison. Flames began to boil my blood into iron vapors. My vision was failing and my father continued to call to me. But no matter how hard I pushed, I wouldn’t make it. I felt my strength deplete little by little as the flames consumed me. Finally, my body succumbed to the flame and I went silently into the dark.

I awoke from my sleep like a diver resurfacing above the ocean, desperately gasping for precious air. Sweat dripped down my shaven head as I came to terms with my environment for the second time. I was sitting back in the chair. My body was shaking. Something was inside me, fighting for control. I knew that the voice had something to do with it. My eyes were wide with fear. I had no idea what had happened to me.

In truth, I wished I had died. I wished Death had taken me from this pathetic existence I was trapped in. I didn’t want to be alive. Not like that. Not with that fear. It was like I had been born again. I felt like an infant once more, everything in the world was new and terrifying. I heard what sounded like a door opening followed by the voice talking to me again through my body.

"Someone’s coming."

"I know."

"It’s Genesis, look alive dammit!"

"Get out of my head."

"It’s not your head anymore."

Genesis approached me. His fluttering black coat was a striking contrast to the white room I occupied. He approached me in graceful strides characteristic of his commanding nature. I could feel his strength from his footsteps alone. Every step he took felt like it had the power to reduce mountains to rubble. Just who the hell was this guy? Why was he so strong?

I glared up at Genesis and got a much better look at his face. He really did look a lot like me, but he was tall and authoritative. The look of a commander suited him almost too well. He looked to be at least nineteen, maybe twenty. Thin strands of ebony fell just above his eyes while the rest feel neatly along the shape of his skull. His eyes were like a deep bronze sea adorned by a sleek pair of black glasses resting upon the bridge of his nose.

His clothes hadn’t changed much from the day I met him. He wore a black button up shirt with matching pants and shoes. A crimson necktie matching the interior of his iconic black coat sat against his chest. A black scabbard was strapped to the side of Genesis’ coat, housing his Claymore.

Genesis stopped in front of me as I shifted my eyes downward into the reflective glossy floor. It was hard maintaining eye contact with one as intimidating as Genesis. Instead, I sought solace in my own reflection. But, it was not adoration that drew my eyes to the ground. It was fear, and fear is what kept me fixated upon myself. It was a fear which emerged when I gazed into my own eyes. My eyes had changed. My left eye had turned blood red while my right eye was a bizarre mixture of white and black splotches. It looked like ink spilling into a glass of water. I had no idea that I was still talking to the voice in a haze. My muttering ceased when I heard Genesis speak with anger.

"Shut up! Both of you!"

I immediately looked up at Genesis with my mutated eyes. I must have looked like a lost, wounded puppy.

"It seems you have no control over your Second Personality, let alone your powers," Genesis said with a much calmer tone.

The other voice within me retorted almost immediately.

"I’m perfectly under control. The kid here is just weak."

Genesis stood there, meeting my hopeless gaze with his own cold stare. He looked angered, almost like he was disappointed in something. I was uncertain of what thoughts could be going through such a complex mind. Genesis spoke a simple command as I sat there staring into his cold bronze spheres.

"Stand up."

Those words hit me with such force I felt like I would choke. No one could imagine such a trivial command would evoke such a negative response. But, when you become lost in an abyss of thought you lack motivation for the simplest of tasks. Stand up? But why? I couldn't help but analyze that command, being in the state that I was. What was left for me in the outside world? My father was my whole world, my life was his. His death was the end of my world. Now that he was long gone I had no one else to turn to. I was now locked within this white purgatory. I had no reason to continue living. Despite the fact I had survived Nina's flames, I was dead. My life was completely destroyed, and I had nothing to go back to.

Life is more than just the blood pumping through a person's veins. It’s the people you experience it with. And when you experience so much of your life with only one person, you risk losing yourself once they're gone. I had lost everything as well as myself. My reason to stand up died with my father. Even the shell of skin sheltering my soul was not my own. Nothing in this new existence felt like it belonged to me.

One would expect curiosity to drive me forward. But I walked a blurry line between the strange and familiar. I was trapped in between lives both old and new. While Abraxas plucked me from the false old life I lived, I had yet to make the choice to carry on. After all, how could I carry on without someone who made up so much of my life?

Genesis looked down at me as if he was a god looking upon his creation.

"Why won’t you stand?" asked Genesis in a calm voice.

"Why does a baby stand when its mother tells it to?"

Genesis seemed to cock his head. My response was more than unorthodox.

"You're not an infant anymore."

"Do you remember your childhood? Did you stand up when your mother told you to?"

Genesis clenched his teeth in a fury.

"A child stands because it must obey the orders of their mother."

"Wrong."

I glared up at Genesis with enraged, yet cocky eyes.

"You do things because you have a reason too. Just following orders is never enough. It is not a reason. It is an excuse," I said with a defiant tone.

Genesis gripped his sword tight. My words were beginning to upset him. I continued my speech regardless of Genesis' obvious disdain.

"We were both children at some point. We had to have a reason to stand. We had to have a reason to carry out our lives on our own two feet. No child ever listens to their mother blindly. But you never had a mother, did you?"

I heard Genesis grunt as he drew his Claymore. I sat completely still as he brought his blade down onto me. A loud clash of metal echoed throughout the glossy white expanse. My left arm had moved on its own and blocked the strike with a sword made of light. Genesis seemed a little surprised by the sudden defense, as was I.

"I may not like this sack of shit, but this is my body too. I am not going to let you harm it, Genesis," said the other voice with determination.

Genesis grunted and withdrew his sword to his side. He stepped back and looked down at my lonesome self. I sighed as I stared back at him before I spoke up weakly.

"I won’t stand. No matter how much you threaten me."

"Why won’t you stand? You had a reason to stand before, what happened to make you want to fall?"

"You know damn well what happened!" I responded in a growl.

Genesis sighed to himself and took a moment before speaking once more.

"Your father."

"The one reason I had to live is gone. It and my own body were burned alive. By all definitions, I should be dead. I don’t belong in the world of the living anymore."

"Then find a reason!" Genesis shouted.

"You and I both know that the dead cannot walk the Earth."

Genesis turned his back to me. He took a few minutes to think. He had one trump card up his sleeve. His victory now banked solely on one advantage. Genesis continued to glare at me. He then tossed his Claymore at my feet.

"If you are so hell-bent on being dead, then run my sword through your chest. Allow the shell to die with everything else," Genesis said with confidence.

I felt Genesis set his eyes upon me as if to declare his victory. He was right to do so. He was much smarter than me. I had only two choices. Take up his offer and die in pain, or keep living as the empty shell I was.

The truth was, I wanted to die. I wanted it to end. My greatest desire was to move on to the afterlife and be with my father and mother. But there was something inside me that made me hesitate. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. A sick grin stretched across my face as I looked at the Claymore at my feet. I wasn’t ready to die yet. I had one thing I had left to do. My grin was quickly retracted as I struggled to pull myself away from the precipice of madness. I could feel a murderous intent manifesting within. I could not let it win over my mind.

"Show me your resolve," Genesis said as I struggled to decide.

"No. I can't..."

Genesis frowned in disappointment as he retrieved his blade. His scorn made a visible stain on his face. I looked up at him with a question formulating within my gaze.

"May I ask you something?"

Genesis reluctantly nodded and gestured for me to proceed with my inquiry.

"What do you think it means to live?" I asked.

"Shouldn't the dead focus on the fact that they even lived in the first place?" responded Genesis in an attempt to turn my conflicted emotions against me.

"Don't you think my question may determine whether I am dead or alive?"

"Perhaps," Genesis said in agreement as he took a moment to think up an answer.

Life is not an easy thing to understand. It is so infinitely complex that mere men could only hope to comprehend it. But, it didn't stop the two of us from trying.

"Feeling. As humans, we have the ability to feel an overwhelming sensation. Psychologists called it self-awareness. A feeling that tells us that we are here, that we are alive. I believe Descartes' theory falls in line with this idea. The idea that we think, therefore we are. Perhaps that is the best explanation for that feeling of self-awareness."

I took a moment to process Genesis' hypothesis.

"But there are people born into this world who can't sense anything, or feel emotions. How can they feel that they are alive?"

"It is like Descartes said, we think therefore we are. This feeling is one of the mind. No human can ever lose that sense of self-awareness. We can only distract ourselves from the idea of our own existence. But, self-awareness cannot be permanently erased. Otherwise, we would be nothing but husks."

I chuckled to myself. Something about this conversation was humorous to me. While his points were sound, the fact Genesis would recite Descartes was amusing. In my opinion, Descartes was the most overrated of philosophers.

"You keep quoting Descartes. You could have picked any philosopher to back your argument and you chose Descartes. Why?"

"His theory, to me, is the most fitting," responded Genesis in an almost defeated voice.

"We aren't here because we think. There are things beyond simple cognition. I believe that we dream therefore we are. Dreams are the greatest proof that we have any existence. They are like a metaphysical ID card. No two dreams are alike in the same way no two bodies are alike. Even memories can be sucked into the dream space and become dreams themselves. All the more reason to believe that I don't exist. What you see in this chair is no longer a living human being. I am just a skin suit left here to rot away with the passage of time. I have no dreams, and trauma has practically erased my memories. I feel empty. The feeling you spoke of, I can't feel that anymore. I have become the very husk you described. Self-awareness is the sense of belonging to the world, that you are here now and here is where you were meant to be. But now, I don't feel like I belong anywhere…"

Genesis looked at me with pitying eyes. He felt sympathy towards my plight. My broken spirit had revealed itself to him and he was overwhelmed. He had no more angles left to take except for one. He looked at the sword at his side.

"Then why didn't you take your own life when I offered you the chance?"

"I… I don't know."

Genesis shifted his gaze back to me as he revealed his new strategy. The question that would shut me up for a while.

"Do you want revenge?"

I felt my mind begin to ache. My eyes widened. I could hear Nina's maniacal laugh in my ears. My fists began to close tight. I was starting to sweat.

"I don't know."

I was taught never to harbor hatred towards those who hurt me. Even when I was picked on as a child my father would always advise me to "kill them with kindness." My father's advice was the guiding force in my life. But I could not deny. There was an inkling of darkness eating away at my innocent heart. A hatred unknown to a heart filled with light was intruding upon me. Deep within, I wanted to spill Nina's blood. After all, everything from before that day was a blur. The guiding words of my father could no longer restrain me from acting upon my anger.

There was a glint in my eyes as my curiosity peaked. A primal desire sparked inside my heart. The thought of avenging my father began to take root in my mind. Immediately, a path revealed itself to me. But there were doubts in my mind. From what little memories I retained, I had never killed before. The thought of killing Nina felt satisfying, but disgusting at the same time. Could I do it? Could I bring myself to take a life? Even if I could bring myself to steal Nina’s life, how would I find her?

"What if I told you I could help you kill her? All I would require of you is that you stand up from that chair," Genesis continued.

I said nothing. Silence pervaded our conversation. Genesis clenched his teeth in frustration. My stubbornness drove him furious.

"What about your sense of honor?!" Genesis asked in a desperate cry.

"The dead have no honor!" I screamed.

That was the last straw. The questioning of my honor was what finally broke me further.

"You are not dead! No matter how many times you say it, you are alive!"

"You're wrong! My body may continue to move, but my purpose, my memory, every part of the person I was, died. You are giving orders to nothing more than an empty shell. I should have gone on to the next life! I'm just a fucking shell that has no more belonging to this world! I am Earth's fucking tumor!"

Genesis stepped back. He felt the full weight of my words as I descended into my madness and sorrow. He was beginning to regret the things he said. He looked at me, desperately hiding his shame.

"He won't do it, Genesis. Despite the control I have, his will really is something else. He won’t let me in completely," the "other voice," said.

Genesis looked on analytically as I sat there shaking uncontrollably. The stress of two minds fighting for dominance was taking its toll on my body. Genesis nodded with affirmation and turned his back to me.

"I shall see what Lockhart thinks of this."

I didn’t know who Lockhart was, but he seemed rather important.

*****​

Genesis exited the White Room and made his way to a rather elegant office located a few floors above. There, sat at the rich mahogany desk, was a man in a lab coat. A man with long blond hair. Genesis gave a short glance to the blond man before taking a seat in front of the desk. The scientist seemed to be looking over a slew of files. Genesis could barely make out the label on one of the file folders. Genesis presumed those documents had something to do with the new addition to the team. At the edge of the scientist’s luxurious furnishing was a nameplate that read "Lockhart." Genesis took a deep breath before finally speaking.

"It would seem there is some conflict between the boy and his Second Personality."

Lockhart laid down the files on the table and sighed deeply to himself.

"As to be expected. We never anticipated that things could get this out of hand. It is going to take some time before he is ever ready to accept what he is," said Lockhart with a grim tone.

"Nina has yet to be found. Her last act of violence was on such a scale that the authorities can no longer ignore it. There is going to be another battle, just like in New York," responded Genesis in concern.

"New York was different Genesis. My employer is the one responsible for Evo City’s construction. Therefore his ties with the local government run deep. He will more than likely put someone he can trust on the investigation. However, this does not change the fact that Nina must be dealt with and fast."

Genesis clenched his fist tightly as he struggled to keep himself calm and collected.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" he asked in a frustrated voice.

"Go right ahead. This is not the military."

"He’s a failure. We were rushed and now we may never succeed with the project."

Lockhart nodded in agreement and sighed deeply once more as he rubbed his fatigued eyes. He knew how harsh this setback was for him and the boy he had saved. But he and his team had been through worse trials.

Many years prior, New York City became the stage for an immense battle. Reports of supernatural and inexplicable events flooded the news sphere, forcing the United States to act. To this day no one knows exactly what had happened in the battle, except for Genesis and Lockhart. The scientist looked up at Genesis with an intense gaze.

"Even if he is a failure now, we must do everything in our power to make sure he is ready," Lockhart said in a demanding voice.

Genesis nodded and was dismissed. As he was about to exit the office, the twin doors slammed open. Standing there with clenched fists was an enraged young woman with blue hair and blood red eyes. She stormed into the room, passed Genesis, and headed for Lockhart with hatred and sorrow in her glare.

"You sick son of a bitch!" she screamed in frustration.

The scientist flinched slightly at the hurtful words spoken by the young woman. He turned to face her with an unwavering gaze as she continued her verbal assault.

"Why did you do this to him!? You should have let him die!? Why would you make him into one of us!? Hasn't he suffered enough!?"

Tears began to well up in her eyes as she screamed. She had never met the boy who lost his life, only to be reborn. She had no idea what his name was, yet she felt unfathomably empathetic. She had witnessed firsthand what Nina and Lockhart had done to the boy. She was there when Lockhart turned this poor kid into something inhuman. She watched as they operated upon his scorched body. She felt her heart collapse on itself as they shaved his burned scalp. She couldn't bear to look when they injected the Second Personality into his consciousness. The girl felt more than terrible seeing all those things happen before her eyes. She couldn't understand why, but her heart was with this stranger. What was this feeling of empathy? Why was she crying over someone she had never met?

Lockhart stepped out from behind his desk as the young blue haired woman continued to weep. The girl didn't understand anything. Her mind was reeling with confusion. But then, without warning, the screaming stopped. Silence seized the room as the woman felt Lockhart embracing her firmly. Her eyes began to quiver with tears as she felt her creator’s warm body give her shelter. With a shaky breath, Lockhart began to speak. His words made the sympathy in his heart ever more apparent.

"I’m sorry. I wish there could have been another way. I’m so sorry."

"I know," said the woman with a sob.

 

Chapter 3: Heaven and Earth
​

Two days had passed. Two days of the same persisting argument. No matter how hard Genesis tried, I would not stand. But at last, a break in the monotony had become long overdue.

I watched the practically invisible doors to the White Room open. I was expecting to see Genesis returning for another debate. Instead, my eyes met with something unexpected. In place of Genesis, a young woman stood in the doorway. Our eyes met and we stared at each other from across the sea of ivory. She froze for just a moment. Finally, she began to walk towards me.

"What’s she doing here?" I heard the "other voice" mutter.

My eyes were fixated on the strange girl intruding upon my confinement. Her strength competed with her beauty for my attention. Clumps of navy blue hair spiked outward, piercing the air like soft mountains. Smaller threads of blue seemed to fall off her alpine locks in an unkempt mess. Her chin was like a dagger dipping downward while her cheeks were tender and warm, like a pillow. Looking closely, you could just see the faintest hint of natural blush shrouding her soft cheeks.

Compared to such a pretty face, the woman's body was a different story. Her body was akin to an Amazon's. Her muscles, while modest, were displayed like trophies, with the pride of a true warrior. Even with such power, her strong frame retained the hallmarks of an alluring woman. For all her muscle she still had curvaceous legs that guided the eye along her fine hips. Her contours only amplified the largeness of her breasts, which I quickly averted my eyes from.

I couldn't explain it. Her whole image grabbed every fiber of attention within me. That day, I beheld a beautiful creature. My presence was graced by the Goddess of Warfare.

A dark set of clothing wrapped the girl's strong body. She had a punk style to accommodate such glamourous bravado. She wore a loose-fitting black tank top that exposed her cleavage. An assortment of bombastic rings and bracelets embraced her fingers and wrists. Her black pants were baggy and adorned with chains, buckles, and straps matching the shade of her hair. Her boots, shielded by her baggy pant legs, were large and heavy like a soldier's. This girl, despite such beauty, dressed with attitude. She was the kind of lady that would rather defend herself with barbaric fists than dainty words. She was no princess, nor was she a knight. She was truly a barbaric Amazon.

As she drew ever closer to my seat in the White Room, I began to feel anxiety swelling at the bottom of my stomach. This woman became more and more intimidating as she approached. The weight of her strength was palpable. She could’ve been stronger than Genesis, or she was just bad at hiding her own power. Finally, she stopped in front of me and looked down at my pathetic face.

"Mind telling me your name?" said the girl with a surprisingly friendly smiling.

For someone so strong, I never expected a voice so soothing to come from her parting lips. Her voice had a creamy and soothing sound. It was the kind of voice you wanted whispering in your ear before you fell asleep at night. It was a voice that was almost seductive yet still carried that immense power she wielded. But that power came out in a much different way than one would expect. Her voice reminded me of a mother's.

"I don’t have a name," I responded in sorrow.

"Everyone has a name, kid."

"Who’re you calling kid?"

"You, at least until you tell me what your name is. Besides, I’m at least three years older than you!"

"I already told you. I don’t have a name."

"Don’t have one, or can you just not remember?"

A sudden pain came to me. There was a sudden pounding in my heart after hearing that simple question. I felt tears begin to well up within my eyes. Of all the things I had to forget, I had to forget my own name. I truly had become a husk. I was a pathetic waste of human flesh wallowing in misery and sitting alone in a blank room as the world continued turning.

When you lose your name you lose it all. Names are everything, even if they are names of your own choosing. Names are the words that define entire people. A single name not only has a meaning for itself but also the person who wears it. A name says everything about you. It says who you are, what you like and dislike. Names talk about your hobbies, your skills, your weaknesses, even your fears. Every factor of a person is written in a name. Names have immense power. After all, no two Eves are the same. One Eve could be a shy young girl who likes to draw in her spare time. The other Eve could be aggressive and play sports. Names change depending on who they are given to. They are the most malleable and most powerful words in all of language, and I lost mine. How shameful of me.

Tears fell from my eyes as I mourned my loss of identity. The woman instantly reached out to me. I felt her arms wrap around my weeping head gently and press it into her soft chest. Tear stains began to seep into the black tank top she wore as I sobbed. This girl saw fit to comfort me as I cried. It appeared that her beauty was not skin deep. She had a real heart beating inside her, one that was sensitive to the troubles of others. She comforted me without a single prompt. In less than a minute, that woman showed more compassion than Genesis.

"I’m sorry all this happened to you," she whispered into my ear.

The woman’s chest pressed into me gently with each soft breath she took. She made soft shushing noises as she held me close in her arms and spoke once more.

"Do you want me to tell you my name? My name is Terra. I'm just like you."

I stayed silent as tears rolled down my cheeks like waterfalls and my heart crumbled apart.

"I know you are going through hell right now kid. I really do. So I’m going to everything I can to get you back on your feet. Okay?"

I felt Terra’s warm embrace grow tighter. My tears soaked through her soft tank top and ran down her skin. I was finally free to let everything out. All the pain that had billowed inside me. Everything I bottled up exploded in that single moment. My silence was crushed and I began sob without end.

"It must have been so hard for you," Terra said in a solemn voice.

I felt Terra’s fingers comb along the sharp stubs of hair on my shaven head. She held me close to her warm body like she was my guardian angel. I felt protected within her generous embrace. For a brief moment, I saw a glimpse of hope. For only a second, I thought I might get better.

"Shh. It's okay now. No one is going to hurt you, I promise."

Her gentle fingers continued to caress me with tender care. Her behavior was characteristic of a loving mother. For a girl who seemed so aggressive and brash, the way she cared for me was completely unexpected. For when I was weary and alone she wiped my tears without as much as a request. She held me close to her as my emotions ran rampant. This strange, earthen angel took away all of my pain and gave me light.

"I won’t let them hurt you anymore," Terra said with a hint of determination.

I cried and cried, emptying myself of all emotion. Liquid sorrow spilled from my eyes and stained Terra's top like rain. All of the suffering I endured was fading away. I felt like an immense weight was lifted off of my shoulders. Did I even deserve such treatment? What made me so special to receive something like this? I didn’t know the answers to those questions, and it only made me weep more.

It took several minutes before I was finally able to speak again. Terra pulled away from my weak body and gave me a reassuring smile. She rubbed my shaved head once more before perking up and asking a simple question.

"Would you like to go outside?"

I hadn’t been to the outside world for a few days. My recollection of it was hazy and out of focus. I accepted Terra’s offer without a second thought. Even the "other voice" could not convince me to stay in the White Room. It was amazing. This woman had achieved in mere minutes what Genesis would fail to do within days. Terra had convinced me to leave my seat and my almost permanent state of brooding. Finally, I had my fill of the bland infinite that was my confinement. I wanted to get out, and get out I did.

*****​

Terra led me by the hand like a child through corridors of pure alabaster light. It seemed my prison was larger than I imagined. The place was strange and bizarre. Its architecture exhaled a breath of mystery into the sterile air. It looked like something out of a science fiction story. Terra made sure to smile back at me every so often as she led me through the ivory corridors. We came to an elevator at the end of the white maze. The facility I was being held in was built underneath the city. This elevator would take us up to the surface. Once the elevator surfaced we emerged into a shipyard. It looked to be one of the largest in Evo City.

Despite Evo’s separatist ways, it still relied on the rest of the world for goods. Evo imported most of its supplies from private companies to prevent ties in world affairs. But it used to be different. When the city was first built, the Slums served as the Industrial District. The old sector used to provide the city with all its necessities. Food, power, clean water, all those things came out of the Industrial District. But something happened that transformed it into a complete shit hole. Even after several years, no one even knows what happened to the Industrial District.

Terra hailed a cab just outside of the docks. We were escorted into Center City. It was a place I was less than happy to visit. Embers continued to dance a deadly waltz within my brain. Anxiety dug its hands into my stomach and clutched at my entrails. My gut felt like a bottomless void that would eat my body from the inside out. Terra held me close to her chest and rubbed my back as I fought my nerves tooth and nail.

The cab stopped and we entered into the "Heart of the City." Terra knew better than to bring me to the charred remains of my father's deathbed. She purposefully avoided the sight of Nina's most recent massacre. Instead, we came to a quiet shopping street hidden by trees and the much larger mega stores towering above. Terra looked back at me with a smile before speaking.

"First things first, let's get you out of that gown."

Terra brought me into one of her favorite outlets. The aisles were lined with punk style garments. Leather jackets, studded bracelets, spiked buckles, and combat boots. It was more than obvious how much Terra enjoyed punk fashion.

Terra bought me an assortment of t-shirts and jeans. She even bought me my now iconic blue hoodie. Its checkerboard design complimented the rest of the clothes quite well. Needless to say, I wore my new garbs out of the store since my only other option was to walk around in a white sheet. Terra said I looked rather cute in them. It was the first real compliment I received since arriving in this new world.

Terra continued to walk me around the city. It felt so much different, so much bigger. Buildings towered over us like glass monoliths. There were entire blocks of temples to corporate gods. Cars clogged the roadways like a blocked artery. Every street was brand new, every building was a fresh new memory. I was experiencing the city all over again. I truly felt like a newborn. It was becoming more and more apparent that I wasn’t just saved from death. I was reborn as something new. What that something was I had yet to discover. But the suspicion was there.

*****

We strolled through the glossy alleyways of the metropolis. Sun glaring off windows as the afternoon rose upon us. Soon green began to invade my sight as we came to a patch of nature within that sanctuary of engineering. Terra brought me to a small park as the sun began its descent. The sky burned with bright orange hues as shadows caressed skyscrapers. As the two of us strolled through the rolling green, we came across an old swing set on a children's playground. Terra immediately headed towards it as if drawn by childish nostalgia. She took a seat on one of the swings and looked at me curiously as I stood there rather perplexed by it all.

"You ever go on a swing set as a kid?" asked Terra in light-hearted inquiry.

"I... I don't remember. I think I did when I was little," I replied while trying to fight back tears. The realization of my amnesia resurfaced as I stared at the swing set. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t draw a clear picture of my past. Lucky for me, Terra’s voice pierced through the veil of shadow and guided me from the pits of sorrow.

"I love swing sets. Everything just fades away the higher and faster you go. I always wondered… If I swung high enough, could I reach out and touch God?" Terra said softly in bewildering curiosity.

"I think God has better things to do than touch us," I responded.

"Why do you think that?"

"Some people think that God lives in fear of its creation. I don’t believe that. I believe God lives in shame. How could God not be ashamed of such a failure of a being? Too much evil persists in this world, God does nothing to stop it. Instead, God hides away with its shame and regret."

"I like to think some evils are necessary to purge even greater evils," said Terra with an ever slightly optimistic edge.

"What do you mean?"

Terra patted the swing next to her and motioned for me to take a seat. I took her offer and sat down next to her as she exhaled a breath before continuing her argument.

"Do you know how swings work?" Terra asked in a genuine tone.

"Are you serious? Of course, I do."

"Then you know that a swing cannot work unless the proper force is given to propel it. But even then gravity drags it down when the force is cut off."

"What are you getting at?"

Terra looked up at the sunset as she breathed a single breath.

"The same principle can apply to evil. Evil cannot exist without the force that is humanity. At the same time, evil can only be stopped when another force acts upon it."

Terra lowered her gaze to her feet as the conversation took a turn.

"I once saw a man raping a child in an alleyway. I tortured him until he drew his last breath. Taking both actions into account, who do you think is the real villain in that situation?" Terra asked with a straight forward tone.

"The rapist obviously. He got what he deserved," I responded.

"Others would disagree. Lots of people think of cruel acts as they are and believe in black and white justice."

"I believe everything begins with choice, and choice yields consequence. That rapist chose to rape that child, his punishment by you was merely a consequence."

"But did I not have a choice to make. Did I have to kill him?"

"You had a choice. You could have spared him if you wanted to."

"Therefore, you could argue consequence is merely an illusion," Terra said with a bit of a smile. She sighed to herself before continuing her spiel.

"There is no such thing as fate, kid. You are right that everyone has a choice, but consequence is a lie. Consequence is what people use to justify even more disturbing acts. People always say that someone deserved to die just to make themselves look like some kind of hero. But there are no heroes in this world, and even if there were they wouldn’t use petty justifications. They wouldn’t even stumble so low as to kill someone because they raped a child. In a way, both me and the rapist are villainous people. But it just goes to show that consequence does not exist. Consequence is merely the name used for when choices conflict with each other. That man chose to rape a young girl, and I chose to end his life slowly because of it. His choice didn’t force mine, but they both met violently with each other. Consequence is just another word for war."

I was silent. She was right. There really is no such thing as fate, not that I ever believed in it. If someone were to be hit by a car, there would have been a series of choices made by both parties that lead up to that point. But there was one thing that bothered me. Didn’t I have a choice not to be saved? Could I have chosen to die when I was writhing upon an ashen ground, burned and broken at Nina’s feet? That thought was whisked away as I heard Terra’s next few words.

"Something tells me you have a lot of choices you’ve been putting off."

I felt my eyes lower towards the ground as I fell into deep thought. Were there choices I had forgotten along with my missing memory? What choices did I have left to make? What things could a dead man walking possible have to decide? Was it to continue living? Was it the choice to avenge my father? If that were the case, I had every reason to be putting off all these choices. I had a lot of questions that needed answering first. I could tell that Terra saw my mood worsen as she quickly changed the subject.

"Hey, you ever been the Center City Gardens?"

"I don’t know."

The answer was more than obvious. Even if I had gone to the Gardens, I wouldn’t have remembered. My mind was so addled and warped that recalling anything from before my father's death was impossible.

"Come on then! I'll show it to you!" Terra said in a much happier mood than before.

Terra once again took me by the hand and led me through the streets of Center City. It was only a few minutes' walk from the park to the Gardens. As we strolled through the city I watched the light of the setting sun refract off the many skyscrapers. Buildings began to glow like towering pillars of light. It was a truly beautiful sight to contrast the ever darkening sky.

*****​

At last, we came to a large, multi-story glass building. From the outside, I could see waves of green pouring out. As we entered the Gardens I was overtaken by the beauty of the place. It was a massive forest of exotic plants and trees. Countless artifacts of fauna were pulled from their homes all over the world to rest in this place. There was more green in the Gardens than I had ever seen in my life. I was blown away by the vibrant colors that danced across my gaze. Beams of stained light emitted from various leaves, bulbs, and petals. This whole building had captured Nature's true beauty. Terra smiled at me as I looked around the Gardens.

"Beautiful isn’t it?" she asked with a much cheerier voice than before.

"Yeah. I never thought something so amazing could exist in this city."

"They built this place when the city became more open to the public. Originally there were plans to make more of these greenhouses. That way island could supply its own produce. But, that didn't go over so well ever since the Industrial District was destroyed," Terra explained.

"Why couldn’t the city just import food to begin with?"

"To be honest I don’t know myself. The city was meant to function without the aid of any outside powers. But I think there is a greater reason to everything that’s happened here."

Terra and I continued to walk through the massive indoor garden. My eyes were assaulted by a cornucopia of color. It was still hard to believe such a place could exist in such a dense city.

Finally, our walk came to a wooden pathway surrounded by cherry blossoms. My eyes widened with disbelief at the beauty that stood before me. Terra walked ahead of me with a skip in her step. My eyes trailed down from the rose colored trees to Terra's sparkling blue hair. I stopped moving for only a moment. Terra turned around to check on me and see if I was okay. I just stared at her dead on. She looked truly amazing.

The image of such a sweet and strange girl painted over the backdrop of a grove of cherry blossoms. A girl with hair of aqua and eyes of blood. What did she see in me that was so special? What inspired her to take such care of me? Those questions faded from my mind as I embraced the moment and the scene before my eyes.

"You okay kid?" Terra asked with concern.

"You’re beautiful…"

Terra immediately blushed as I averted my eyes only slightly. Her image was that of a goddess. A goddess of which I was completely unworthy of.

The last thing I saw was her smile. Her gentle and warm smile. A smile that faded from memory as soon as it appeared. A smile that was taken away as my eyes blacked out. I felt an intense heat all over my body. My vision faded in and out in flashes. I couldn't make out anything in the midst of the flames. But I knew what had happened. Nina had found us.

 

Chapter 4: The Man Within the Flame​

I awoke in a familiar landscape. A blackened field drowned in an ocean of fire. I stood up on what felt like ashen soil as a gale blew through the barren field, spreading the flames. A storm had swept through and covered the land in a cleansing fire. I looked around and saw nothing but immolation. That is until my eyes detected something different.

A man stood in the distance looking outward. A man I remember seeing before. A man I felt compelled to get to.

The wind howled at me like a fearsome and ferocious wolf. I struggled to push on through the stormy plains as fire kicked up like dust. I felt my feet battle for grip within the blackened sand beneath me. I felt like I stood on a shoreline, within the sand dunes. Small tufts of tall grass grew out from the mountains of black sand.

I trudged forward as the man in the distance stared outward to a black sea. Trails of flame glided ahead of me through the sand and carved borders through the grass. The closer I got to the figure the stronger the winds became as I forced myself forward. I had to get to him. I had to get to that man. Something within me pulled me towards him as if his existence was pivotal to my own. The wind grew more and more ferocious as I carried on. It was as if the wind’s sole purpose was to repel me no matter the cost.

At last, I had gotten close enough to make out the details of this masculine figure before me. He stood only a few inches taller than me. Draped over him was a heavy leather trench coat with a collar made of wolf’s fur. The tails of his long coat fluttered in the infernal wind. As I moved closer towards the man I saw him turn to face me. He looked a lot like me, but his hair was a fraction longer and he had a bit more scruff growing on his face. My eyes widened with realization as I saw the man’s mask.

"Father?" I spoke in a stutter as I struggled to find breath.

"Hey there kiddo," my father said with a smile.

My mind reeled. This couldn’t have been real. Could it?

"B-But I watched you die! How can you-!?" I exclaimed as my mind went into a spiral of confusion.

"Relax, this is all in your head. Just ask him."

I turned to see a split image of myself standing next to the image of my father. There was only one difference between myself and the mirror. His eyes were the color of blood and glowed like the embers rising from the sodden ground. He looked as if he was angry with me.

"You and I need to talk. I bet you have a lot of questions and there is no better time to ask them than now," my doppelganger said.

"But Terra-!"

My father interrupted before I could even finish voicing my concern.

"She'll be fine. This place is a part of your mind, time moves as slow as you want it to here. You can stay as long as you like and still be able to protect Terra."

I took a minute to think. This place. This burning field, the shoreline, the black ocean. It was all a part of my own mind. This was a dream, for lack of a better term. I turned to face my doppelganger. It was clear who he was supposed to be. The mirror was what my mind imagined the "other voice" looked like. My mind assumed he was a part of me since he lived within my body. The only difference were those eyes. His red eyes were the only things that were his own. Everything else he had borrowed from me. He gave me a stern glare before I finally asked my first question.

"I only want to know one thing."

I felt the eyes of the "other me" fall upon me as if he knew what I wanted to ask.

"Why am I alive?"

"You were saved. You were taken in by Professor Lockhart. He is a scientist who experiments with humans, turning them into walking weapons. You are his newest creation."

"That’s not what I asked! Why am I alive!?"

"He must think you are important. After all, the whole purpose of this experiment is to push humans beyond their limits."

"But why me!?"

"Wish I could tell you, kid. There are things even I don't know."

"Quit bullshitting me! What the fuck is happening to me!? Who are you!? What are you!? Haven’t I gone long enough without an answer!?" I screamed in anger as the tide of the ocean rose and the wind began to unleash its fierce howl.

"Lockhart refers to us as Second Personalities. We are almost like an artificial intelligence. We serve as a voice from within that can warn our host of danger and help them manage their abilities. We can also take control over the host's body and enhance their combat abilities."

"If all of that is true, then what sort of abilities do I have?"

"If I am remembering correctly, manipulation of light and dark matter."

I saw the image of my father step forward upon the "other me" concluding his explanation.

"Listen to me son. You may never understand why you were saved, why I died while you survived. But please understand this. I was happy to lay my life on the line for you. I am an old man, you have a full life ahead of you. The life you have now may not be the ideal one, but anything is better than dying at the hands of another. Live out your days until you can die on your own terms."

My father's words hit me with the force of an atom bomb. Were these words my father’s or were they just what I’d imagine my father would say? Did the knowledge of my own father create a version of him that could speak as he would? So many questions seemed to pile up in place of the answered few. Through my confusion, my father’s voice spoke again.

"I love you son. You are my pride and joy. My slice of Heaven. Live on. Fight. Live to be older than your dad."

My eyes began to water. As my tears began to glide down my pale cheeks I finally began to feel a warmth in my heart. I was all the sudden overcome with a sense of belonging to the world. I finally had a reason to escape the confines of my head and the burning seaside within.

Some would call it fate or destiny. I don’t believe in those things. To me, destiny is a word used by people who can’t decide for themselves. They rely on something beyond them to choose their path for them almost at random. Sometimes they even let other people decide for them. To me, the single notion of being unable to control my own life disturbs me. Maybe it is that disgust that made me so afraid to keep on living.

"You can wake up whenever you are ready, but once you do you are going to have to choose. You can fight Nina and protect Terra, or you can run and let her hold her own. You can't avoid it any longer. Now is the time to stand," said my "other me" as I stood there absorbed in my own thoughts.

My father placed his hand upon my shoulder as I prepared to ascend from my inner world.

"Go forward, son. Fight!"

*****​

With a brief flash of light and rush of pain, I awoke. I saw beauty burning to ashes. The greens, reds, and blues had all melted into a black mound of floral corpses. My body laid almost lifeless on the steaming wooden floor riddled with embers. As I came to my senses I saw something moving behind the flames. Then came another. Two figures fighting with savage ferocity.

I would always read stories when I was a kid. Stories about some princess locked away, helplessly awaiting the end of her world. Then a handsome knight or a righteous prince would come and save the princess. This was such a strange reversal of roles to find myself in. I was the princess, locked away in a cage of flames. Terra was the knight in stone armor. She fought Nina tooth and nail just to protect me. She was so strong, stronger than I imagined. I knew at that moment that Terra was the kind of person I had always looked up to.

Terra slammed her armored fist into the wooden floor and exposed the stone foundations beneath. I watched as rocks and rubble gathered at her arm and formed a heavy buckler shield. Terra quickly used her shield to block several incoming fire bolts. Chips and shards of rock blasted off the shield as bolts impacted the stone. Terra lifted her foot upward to her stomach before slamming it down into the floor. I felt the ground shake and watched the floor collapse underneath Nina’s feet. Nina had wrapped her body in her flames and had vanished into the embers in the nick of time. Nina appeared behind Terra and lashed her in the back with a long whip of flame. Terra flinched and dodged the second strike with inhuman instinct. Terra turned and threw a punch into Nina with her rock entombed fist. Nina flew back into an ashen tree stump and spat out a wad of blood as she hit the torched bark. Terra dashed towards Nina and felt her fist collide with the tree stump. Nina leapt out of the way as Terra punched the burned tree, uprooting it in an instant. Nina struck out her hand and guided a gust of flame to Terra. Terra stomped her foot causing a ton of rock to shoot up from the dirt. The upshot rubble dispersed the flames as Terra took cover. Terra dashed towards Nina. She screamed as she ran, her fists raised and ready to pound into Nina’s perfect pale face. Nina grinned and caught Terra in her trap. Flames spat out from the ground as Terra stepped forward with fury. I watched as Terra was engulfed by fire and was launched backward from the blast. I could hear a bone-shattering sound as she hit the ground, her face buried in the charred wooden floor. I couldn’t take my eyes off that image no matter how hard I tried.

My eyes widened as I watched Terra lay flat on the ground. After a few seconds, she began to struggle back to her feet. I watched as Nina approached her with her hands burning white. I remember thinking so many things at that time. So many thoughts racing passed my eyes like cars on a superhighway. One stood out above them all. Just one stood out. It stood out like the rustiest most agonizing jalopy on that metaphorical motorway. I remember exactly what words I thought.

"Not again… I don't want anyone else to die again!"

It was happening all over again. Nina was going take everything away once more. First my father, now Terra. I stood there helplessly watching Nina approach Terra with white hot palms. I couldn't just watch. I had to do something. But did I have the strength to fight back?

Madness crept into my mind. The echoing voice of Genesis slipped into my thought stream. I was reminded of that bloodthirsty desire I had locked away. A monster was forcing its way out of its prison. This was the moment. I couldn't let her take anything else away from me. This time I would take everything from her. I had power, I had a chance. This was why I was reborn, to lay my father to rest.

All of the memories of my father flashed by like a film reel. I couldn’t let it happen again. I wanted to go back to the swing set. I wanted to talk with her some more. I wanted to get to know her more. Instinct took over after that. I knew what I had to do.

"Hey… If you can hear me, and I know you can. I need a weapon," I muttered hoping the "other me" would listen.

Within seconds I felt a tingling sensation in my hand. A strange light began to grow around my palm. It grew brighter and brighter until finally exploding and shooting out a beam from my palm. The beam of light fired straight ahead and then manifested into the shape of a longsword. Despite the shape of a heavier weapon, it felt completely weightless.

"This sword is made of light matter. It requires very little movement on your part to wield. It is completely weightless and can be swung at incredible speed. Keep that in mind," explained the "other me."

"Right."

This was it. There was no turning back now. I had finally chosen to stand.

 

Chapter 5: Scream thy Name
​

The Gardens transformed into a hellish battlefield. Burning cherry blossoms floated through the air in peace as flames consumed them whole. Nina stood across from me. Her chilling eyes stared into my soul as I gripped my sword tight. Nina grinned with malice as flames sparked and ignited in her palms. Silence draped over us like a sheet. The air grew thick with overwhelming tension. Terra lay motionless on the ground, watching what was about to unfold.

The veil of tension was torn apart the second we took our first steps toward each other. The ground beneath me erupted in a burst of fluttering embers as I dashed forward. Nina continued to light the floor ablaze as I stormed forward. I dashed towards Nina and readied my blade. A whip of flame lashed out from Nina’s palm and swirled around her body like a vine, blocking my strike. I pulled back immediately and felt my body dash to the side as Nina’s whip struck the charred wooden floor. I watched as the floor collapsed next to me. I felt my body move on its own as Nina’s whip lashed at me yet again.

"What is happening to my body?"

"You’re too slow kid!" responded the "other me."

I blocked the next strike of Nina’s whip and dashed towards her once more. Our weapons clashed blow for blow as I felt the "other me" influence my movements.

"I can fight on my own!" I thought in anger.

I suddenly felt the "other me" relinquish his some of his control over me. Finally, I had free reign over my actions. I was able to go all out. Vague shards of the sparring matches I had with my father began to flash in my mind as I readied myself. I ran towards Nina prompting her to launch a flurry of fire bolts toward me. Instinct kicked in and I parried my way through the hailstorm of projectiles. Embers showered off my blade as I blocked any bolt that came too close to me. Finally, I was close enough to strike Nina. I saw her prepare to lash out her whip. I dodged the strike and went for her gut. My sword glided through her stomach, splattering blood onto the charred floor. Nina clenched her teeth in frustration as she gripped her wound. Had I won?

My sense of victory diminished once I saw her wound heal within seconds. My eyes widened in shock, but before I could react I felt a burning fist gliding across my face. I was knocked to the ground by an immense force. Nina approached me with anger in her cold eyes. She was cocky enough to believe I couldn’t even land a small prick on her skin, let alone slit her gut open. She stood over me before picking me up by my collar. I could see the fiery glow in her eyes more intense with her desire to kill. I struggled to break free only for her to slam me face first into the smoldering ground. I tried to scream, but Nina only pushed my face in further in an attempt to stifle my cries of pain. I forced my head up against the strength of Nina's palm and looked to see Terra attempting to crawl closer to me. Nina screamed out in anger as she slammed my face into the floor once again.

"You insolent son of a bitch!"

Nina rested her thick boot heel upon my back. I felt my whole body brace itself before feeling the forceful impact of leather and rubber. I felt the crushing weight of her blows contest against the fortitude of my own spine. All I could do was scream out in strained gasps. Nina brought her heavy heel down into my bruised and battered back like a hammer. With each impact, I could feel the full weight of Nina's leg crashing into my vertebrae. I had no idea how much more I could take before my body would snap in half.

"You pile of shit! You honestly thought you could win!? You thought you were special because Genesis decided to protect you!? You are just as worthless as any other pathetic human! You should have died with your father!"

Terra struggled back onto her feet. She couldn’t bear to hear my screams. They were a chorus of her worst nightmares. Every cry of pain I released was a knife to Terra’s heart. Each piercing wound my screams inflicted fostered hatred in Terra's heart. She couldn't stand to watch me bleed any longer. She knew just how much I had suffered and couldn’t bear to let misfortune befall me once. Terra channeled as much strength as she had left in her body. She unleashed a raging cry from the top of her lungs as she raised her fists.

"Leave him alone!" she cried before slamming her rock entombed limbs into the smoldering concrete beneath her.

Terra leapt towards Nina with her stone fist raised back and ready to smash into Nina’s body. Nina dodged the valiant strike only for Terra to take another swing at her. Nina dodged Terra’s frantic strikes with a smile on her face. I struggled to stand back on my feet while Terra bought me as much time as she could. Nina grinned as she weaved her way through Terra’s rain of blows and grabbed her by the throat.

"Aww! Do you love him, Terra?" Nina asked in a cold voice.

Terra’s eyes filled with emotion just as an explosion detonated in Nina's palm. The blast ripped through Terra's body and sent her flying into a wall.

"Terra!" I screamed as I did my best to ward off fatigue while leaning on my blade.

"Look at you kid. You look pathetic." Nina said in a menacing yet almost seductive voice.

It became clear how much Nina was enjoying every moment she spent tormenting us.

"You never deserved Lockhart's blessing and yet here you are trying to be a hero!" Nina shouted as she charged a ball of flame in her palm with a twisted grin on her face.

"You survived only because someone saved you! But no one is coming to your rescue now, you are all alone!"

Nina dashed towards me in the blink of an eye and grabbed me by my throat. She lifted me off my feet whilst coursing flames through her free hand. I felt the heat of the flames swirling in her palm as it drew closer to my face. Sweat dripped down from my pores as I felt the heat of Nina’s fire grow closer and closer.

"No one will hear you scream as I slowly burn your flesh off your bones. I am going to boil every fluid in your body until you cook yourself inside out."

One would think that my mind was racing. That I was in an immense state of panic. The strange thing was, I wasn’t panicking at all. I didn’t even wince as the flames drew ever closer to my flesh and I could feel my face begin to burn. For some unknown reason, my mind was clear. It was clearer than it's ever been. I didn’t want to die at the hands of Nina. But not once did that thought ever cross my mind. Instead, I kept thinking of something different. I kept thinking that I wasn’t going to die here. I was going to live.

"This is the end for you, brat. Any last words?" Nina asked with malice as she prepared to melt my flesh.

For the first time since rebirth, I felt like I was in control. It was at this moment that I accepted everything that had happened to me. I chose to stand. I had brought myself this far. Now was the time to accept what had been given to me. Gift or curse, it was something I had to live with. For once I became thankful that I was alive. That I was given a second chance. A primal desire to fight and kill consumed my very core. I felt my reason to keep living glare into my soul with sapphire eyes. I could see myself in her bright gemstones as I lifted my head up in a glare. My left eye had turned completely black and my right eye had developed a white iris. The red left eye was gone. The "other me" had returned to the interiors of my mind. A sly grin stretched from cheek to cheek as I glared into Nina’s eyes with a murderous glint in my own.

"My name… My name is Heaven!"

I felt my hand press into Nina’s chest as light matter began to pulsate in my palm. In a split second, a beam discharged from my hand and blasted Nina back. I continued to fire beams of light forcing her to ignite the air around her to shield herself. I dashed forward, faster than I knew I could and summoned a new sword to my free hand. A sword that was almost identical to its light counterpart, but made of black matter. I swung the blade and watched as a rift appeared, sucking in Nina's raging flames with no effort. I had created a black hole in a single swing. This power surprised me at first, but I had little time to gawk. Nina lashed her whip out at me which I blocked with my light sword. I swung my dark blade and created a rift in space that I dashed into. Within a few seconds, I emerged behind Nina and caught her in the back with a slash of my light sword. She lurched forward from the stinging blow and turned to lash her whip. I blocked it with my dark sword, cutting it in two. Nina clenched her teeth in anger as she tried to punch me with a flame-imbued fist. I dodged the strike and returned the favor. A beam blasted from my hand and struck Nina square in the forehead. Nina growled in anger as she stumbled back with her hand clutching her skull.

"You fucking bastard!" she screamed as she unleashed a torrent of white flames.

I swiftly swung my dark blade and shielded myself behind the rift. Nina’s breathing was heavy and sporadic. She glared at me in an unfathomable rage as she saw me still standing.

"How!? How did you survive that!?"

"You can’t kill what is already dead."

I dashed at Nina with my blades ready. Nina blocked my strikes with her whip. With deft movements, I dodged Nina’s counter attacks and struck her gut once more. Nina flinched and blasted the ground with fire bolts. I dodged out of the way as fire ripped through the air in front of me. I ran towards Nina once more blocking fire bolts with my light blade. I leapt into the air and prepared to bring my swords down on top of Nina. My light blade cut into Nina’s shoulder as I landed on my feet. She was in complete shock. I quickly ran my dark blade through Nina’s gut while she was stunned. I pressed into her body as my sword hilted within her stomach. A vengeful grin carved itself into my face as I stared into Nina’s eyes.

"I am a ghost of vengeance here to haunt you," I muttered as Nina stared at me dumbfounded.

In one swift motion, I severed her body in two with my dark blade. Nina’s halves and fell to the ground stunned as a pool of blood began to gather. The fire would claim her body and reduce her to ash. A fitting end to the fire starter.

As I watched Nina’s halves burn I felt my newfound strength deplete as fatigue took its place. Terra rushed to my side and we soon found ourselves leaning on each other. Terra and I limped together as we attempted to escape the burning garden. We were going to make it.

*****​

Meanwhile, outside the Center City Gardens. Rain drops began to hurtle towards the earth while embers soared towards the heavens. Genesis stood idle as aqua beads bounced off his coat. Ahead of him stood a man in a business suit carrying a shining metal rifle case.

The man wore the attire of a professional business man. But the black leather gloves on his hands spoke the words "trained killer." He looked to be in his late thirties with a slim yet sturdy frame. The suit shielded a body built to face that which was greater than man. The man's face fell on the borderland of youthful and aged. Deep brown eyes dipped into the man's skull while still glaring outward in an almost permanent rage. Well-kept black hair swept to the side of his forehead like a wave of jet. Small streaks of grey creased through his locks as his age began to catch up with him.

The man’s suit was highbrow and professional. It almost seemed like a sin to wear such an expensive thing in stormy weather. The entire suit was jet black and fit the man like a glove. A simple white button-up shirt was tucked underneath the black suit jacket. A contrasting black tie sat against the white shirt completing the portrait of a businessman or government official. On his feet were shoes polished to perfection, the light of the city glistening off their leather bodies.

After placing his case on the ground, the man pulled a handgun from inside his coat. The firearm was a chromed black Desert Eagle that matched his ensemble perfectly. In a single flourish, the man switched off the safety and the pulled back the slide. The man then pointed the gun straight at Genesis who seemed to be completely unfazed. Genesis scoffed and adjusted his glasses as he stared down the gun barrel. Genesis then smiled as he spoke to the man in the suit.

"Looking for someone, Agent?"

"Not anymore. I already found him."

 

I didn't bother to read anything, but it looks like you put in some effort, so here, take my like.

 

I didn't read any too just wanted to check did anyone read any and comment about it !
Title sounds a bit weird 'D'-inject

 

Hey babe, want to get an "injection" from my "D"?

 

No thank you

 

Yeaaaah it's a weird title, but its kinda nostalgic for me. I've been working on this story for a long time.

 

Chapter 6: A Lone Wolf Enters the Fray​

The city was wet. The flames of the burning Center City Gardens still raged on into the night. Genesis stood in silent solidarity. Ahead of him stood a man wrapped in a luxurious suit. Genesis had a faint grin stretching along his face. Sparks fluttered between the locked gazes of these two human titans. The battle between me and Nina had only just begun to bud. Yet the battle between these two had blossomed into a mature black rose. A black rose stained by the blood of all those who had fallen behind them. Their battle was one that had been waging on for many long tormenting years. You could see it in the way the two looked at each other. The memories that were playing in the reflections of their eyes.

"I missed you in New York," said the man in the suit.

"I know," responded Genesis.

"It’s been a long time, Genesis."

"Yeah. It’s good to see you again Wolf."

A lone wolf had entered the fray. He raised his silver head towards the wet and waning moonlight and howled a cry of war to the heavens. A cry of satisfaction and relief that at last, he found his old enemy. Wolf held the gun in his hand tight. His eyes filled with the resolve to kill. He lined up the barrel with the soft flesh of Genesis’ forehead. Wolf was ready to pull the trigger. But something stopped him from carrying out the murderous act.

"I believe you and I both know that a bullet isn’t enough to kill you. Besides, neither one of us wants to see the other die so easily."

He returned his gun to its hidden holster and turned his attention to his metal case. With a single motion, the rifle case opened up and from it emerged a rectangular blade. Red metal clamps bolted the blade to the round grip that paralleled the blade. Wolf gripped the strange rectangular weapon and gave it a hard swing to the side. The grip then extended outward from the bottom. Wolf grasped the extended pole with his free hand. In one swift motion, Wolf’s bizarre blade had turned into a polearm.

There wasn't a single word said between the two titans as rain crashed down on flesh, steel, and cloth. Tension rose to insurmountable levels before finally shattering like glass. The still air exploded violently as those colossal heroes charged forward towards each other. Each titanic warrior harbored the full heat of battle on their shoulders. Indistinguishable purpose built the foundation upon each surging footstep they took. One wished to protect the world from that which humanity could not understand. The other wished to hide and protect those same mysteries. Thirty seconds to impact. This was the battle that would define the scale of the path I would walk. And it had already begun before I had a chance to witness it.

Wolf and Genesis exchanged blows only to block as fast as they struck. The sound of clashing metal echoed throughout the empty road. Genesis and Wolf fought tooth and nail. Each of them struck with unparalleled ferocity. They attempted killing blow after killing blow. Sparks flew from the grinding metal as the two warriors pressed the attack. Neither one of them was going to give in. Neither one of them had it in them, the ability to admit defeat.

Genesis backed off his assault allowing Wolf to push forward. He swung his glaive down onto Genesis who dodged to the side, gliding his blade into Wolf’s flesh as he did so. Wolf leapt back with clenched teeth as blood dripped from his wound. Genesis looked at him with a deadpan expression.

"Your weapon has immense reach, but its size means you must fight for control. Attacking leaves you with a massive blind spot. A blind spot I can easily exploit. I see you haven't learned much since last time."

Wolf grunted in rage and rushed at Genesis. He used his body to carry the weight of the glaive as he let his whole being guide his strikes. Genesis parried as best as he could as the glaive attempted to reach his body and bite at his flesh. Genesis waited for his moment once more as Wolf continued to strike. Finally, Genesis managed to maneuver around Wolf’s slashes. Genesis raised his blade to strike Wolf from behind. A loud clash of metal rang out into the rainy sky as Wolf turned to block the sneaky strike. Genesis’ eyes went wide only for a moment as he leapt back and motioned for Wolf to come forward. Wolf charged forward and prepared to pounce.

The wolf is a proud animal. An animal that prides itself with its pack, its family. But to be a lone wolf means to shun the pack, to forge a trail of your own making. You survive on your own and become as ruthless as Nature herself. I always believed a lone wolf was a unique breed and I’m sure Nature did when she created it. Genesis faced one of those wolves now. One of the many wolves who learned to value their lives above the rest. But sometimes the lone wolf will put that life on the line for others. This Agent was that kind of beast.

For some unknown reason, he harbored a strange relationship with Genesis. From what I remember, Wolf fears him because his power could threaten the world. But Wolf respects Genesis for his courage and fighting prowess. When these two faced each other after all those years it wasn’t out of hatred for the other. It was a battle of rivals. It was a battle of two humans who differed in ideologies and knew that only one could survive.

The battle waged on. Wolf tried to create distance between himself and Genesis with controlled strikes. Genesis himself was holding his own quite well. But finding an opening in Wolf’s stalwart defense was proving tricky. He knew from the beginning that Wolf was an excellent defensive fighter. Wolf’s glaive had great reach allowing for him to keep enemies at a distance. But he was only one man. While Wolf’s defense may have been great it still was only a frontal defense. While his sides opened up with each swing, his back was completely exposed. Genesis finally saw a break in the defenses and took his chance. But it seemed the lone wolf prepared for this outcome. The glaive swung into Genesis’ arm and dug into his flesh. Not a single scream came from Genesis, but instead, it was a simple smile. Genesis gripped the pole of Wolf’s weapon and used his strength to rip it from his body and pull Wolf towards him. Wolf tried his best to resist the force of Genesis’ pull, but it was useless. Wolf released his grip on his weapon and reached for his gun. Wolf fired three rounds only for Genesis to block the bullets in a split second. Wolf’s eyes widened with fear as he saw three bullets fall to the pavement as a loud metal ring echoed in his ear.

"That wouldn’t have happened eight years ago. Eight years ago you were never that quick," Wolf said with slight confusion.

Genesis looked at Wolf with the same deadpan expression.

"It happened in New York. My powers had finally manifested. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay human and keep our fight fair."

Wolf clenched his teeth in frustration as he gripped his gun even tighter. Genesis looked straight into the eyes of Wolf with a ferocious glare. The tension was building again.

*****​

Terra and I had reached the lobby of the Center City Gardens. The fires were spreading fast. It was difficult to see where I was going. Lack of sight forced me to rely on the "other me" as he guided me through the smoldering ruin. But at last, we emerged into the rainy dark. The cold stormy air welcomed us. Nature embraced us with open arms like her own children as we exited the Gardens. That was when I first saw him. Agent Wolf. The man who would become one of my greatest enemies.

Agent Wolf and Genesis both turned to see Terra and me exiting the ruins. Terra leaned on my shoulder as we limped down the stone staircase. Genesis sighed in dissatisfaction as he turned to face Wolf.

"I’m sorry I have to do this. But I must end this quickly."

I watched in amazement as I saw something inexplicable. I bore witness to a fraction of Genesis’ power. I watched as two disc-like objects seemed to just appear just in front of Genesis, as if from nowhere. They tore open reality itself and revealed pieces of a landscape, much different than our own. Some foreign place was peering into our world. These strange windows seemed to ripple and pulsate like the waves that appear when one dips their toe in water. As the two discs cut through our reality I watched as Genesis glared at me through his peripherals.

"Pay attention kid. These are Mind Gates, they allow me to manifest objects from my mind into the real world. Someday you may be able to use their power."

Genesis then turned back to his enemy one last time before speaking a sort of incantation.

"Come forth. Swan and Serpent."

From each Mind Gate came a single blade. One was a thick and heavy broadsword. Its blade was a pristine shade of white and sparkled with gold. Swan’s swept basket hilt wore an elegant swan motif. The other blade was black and curved with slight red accents running along the blade. It was as if the blade itself was opalescent. Serpent’s cross guard was smaller and much more jagged than the swept basket hilt of the broadsword. Swan was Genesis' main offense, while Serpent punished unwary opponents. These were two of Genesis’ prized blades.

"These blades were born within my own mind. Each one is unique and represents a certain fraction of my consciousness. Take a long look at them, Wolf. These are the weapons that will kill you."

Wolf’s anger was paramount. I could see his eyes as clear as day. They looked like the eyes of a cornered old forest dog. Genesis sighed and dashed towards Wolf with blinding speed. Wolf attempted to shoot Genesis but he only felt the cold steel of Swan as it dug into his gut. Wolf stumbled back as he stared at Genesis and then looked at his wound. Panic overtook his mind as the realization of failure became all too clear to the Agent. He fell to his knees and looked up at his enemy in an almost hysterical state of mind. His eyes went wild with complete lack of understanding. The word "why" was spelt out in his gaze.

"How in the world is this possible!? You were never this strong in New York! You were still human!" Wolf screamed at Genesis in a rage.

Genesis looked at Wolf with a stare. Swan and Serpent were gripped tight as Genesis looked down at the broken Agent.

"Never underestimate the strength of someone who has lost everything."

Wolf screamed in rage as he opened fire on Genesis. Genesis deflected the bullets with ease prompting Wolf to dart past Genesis. Wolf dodged Genesis’ swipes and ran towards his glaive. He picked up the weapon and ran at Genesis in a blind rage. Genesis blocked Wolf’s strikes and watched as Wolf twirled his glaive with unnatural speed.

"You aren’t the only one holding back! You have forfeited your humanity Genesis! CAPRA protocol dictates that I am charged with your extermination!"

Wolf charged forward towards Genesis. Genesis quickly called back Swan and Serpent. Wolf surprised Genesis with the tight control and finesse he had over his weapon. Genesis blocked as best he could and snuck in a strike with Serpent. Wolf dashed away from Genesis’ reach and countered swiftly. Genesis slid on his feet before impaling Swan in the pavement to stop himself. Genesis growled and dashed back at Wolf. Genesis leapt in the air in a front flip bringing Swan down onto Wolf’s shoulder. Wolf dashed away from the strike and swung his glaive at Genesis’ gut. Blood splattered on the wet pavement before washing away into the sewer drains. Genesis clenched his teeth tight as he struggled to pull away from the glaive’s bite. Wolf pulled his weapon from Genesis’ body letting it tear into him further. Genesis tried to hold back a scream as he backed away from Wolf. Wolf dashed in and began to cut up Genesis more and more. He was quick on his feet. He had to be. He was a mere man fighting creatures beyond him. He had to be quick, cold, and strong. Genesis was cut all over his body as blood trickled from his wounds. Wolf came rushing in for the finishing blow only to hear a clash of metal. Genesis was still fighting strong.

"You really are a freak!" cried Wolf.

"Maybe, but I still have the heart of a man. I’m glad I got to face your full strength," responded Genesis.

Genesis gripped Swan tightly as the blade began to glow with a golden light. Genesis slashed at Wolf several times with the vigorous Swan. Wolf did his best to block the strikes but Genesis proved too fast for him. Wolf was knocked back with a gash in his chest. He was struggling to stand on his feet as blood seeped through his shirt and dripped down his chest.

"I really did underestimate you…"

Genesis smiled and lowered his weapons. Wolf was too fatigued to go on.

"Will you follow us?" Genesis asked.

"No. My fight is with you. Take your allies to safety. We will finish this another day," said Wolf in a friendly response.

"Thank you… Old friend."

Those were the last words Genesis spoke to Wolf that night. The three of us left him to bleed into the streets. The fire crews would more than likely find his body. Dead or alive, we weren’t sure, it didn’t really matter to us. At the end of it all, we survived and that was what mattered. Survival. It was still hard to believe that I had chosen to keep living this life, even if was just to see Nina die by my hands. But even then, I intended to keep fighting.

*****​

Only a few blocks away, a rooftop held unknown spectators to the fight between Genesis and Wolf. The mysterious figures watched the fight only to lose interest as we began to leave. The ghostly silhouette’s fiery red hair clung to her wet body as the rain began to pour down on the world. It was like a choir of angels had shed their tears for these abominations Nature and Science had concocted. Nina stood watching our fight relishing the tears of the angels. The same tears that poured down on the Earth as she looked at the street with a grin. A young woman approached Nina from behind as she observed that which was beneath her. Her emerald dress reflected the light of embers in a bright sheen.

"Are you starting fights again?" asked the young girl.

"He got away from me twice. Why was he able to escape?" replied Nina with a rather condescending tone.

"I think you’re becoming obsessed," the girl retorted out of concern.

"Maybe I am. Either way, I think I am going to have fun with this boy."

 

Chapter 7: Demons
​

It was morning again, at least that’s what it felt like. For once I wasn’t in the White Room. Yet the walls were made of that same glossy material as my old prison. I awoke in a bed within some kind of hospital. It was a welcome change compared to the hard wooden seat I called home. As I awoke, my head felt lighter. I must have blacked out while I aided Terra in escaping the fire.

As I awoke I noticed Genesis sitting across from my bed. He looked at me with unwavering eyes as I rose from my slumber.

"Glad to see you’re awake," Genesis said kindly as I rubbed my eyes.

"Wh-where am I?"

"The same place you spent several days in after your rebirth. Welcome to the Cocoon. A place some of us like to call home."

Genesis then arose from his seat and aided me in standing up from my bed. After helping me up he walked over to the door of the room.

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked.

"Not me. Us. I think you deserve some answers. I am taking you to see Lockhart."

Lockhart. I heard Genesis mention that name before. Based on the way he would refer to him, I assumed he was some kind of superior. Genesis said he was taking me to see him and that I deserved answers. I had no idea who Lockhart was, but something told me he had to be important. For once I wouldn’t be left in the dark again.

Genesis led me through familiar halls of pristine white gloss. I was brought to a higher level in the Cocoon. Before I realized where I was going I faced an elegantly carved set of mahogany doors. The doors contrasted the Cocoon’s shining white halls with their hand carved designs. Genesis opened the doors and led me into a rather luxurious office. Various pieces of wooden furniture littered the space. An emerald carpet cushioned our steps as we entered. Everything was old fashioned and made from wood. It was a brave and stark contrast to a facility that looked like it had leapt from the pages of science fiction.

A single man sat at a desk of mahogany. He propped up his feet, which were clad in shining leather shoes, upon the table without care. The cost of the desk’s material didn't seem to bother him as much as whether or not he could rest his feet. The man was rather lithe and young looking. He was much older than me, but he still showed a great effort in maintaining a youthful appearance. His most noticeable feature was his long golden blond hair. Golden locks spiraled downward toward the small of his back. Despite such a pampered look, the scientist’s hair was the one thing unkempt. It was as if his hair was the price he paid for youthful beauty.

The moment I saw this man and his glaring eyes of jade, I knew who Lockhart was. This was the man I saw the day I died. The man responsible for my rebirth. The man who created Genesis, Terra, and maybe even Nina. This man’s choices were the reason my life renewed. I wasn’t sure how to feel as he beckoned me with a gesture of his palm to take a seat. This was the man pulling the strings in this city. This was the man responsible for the deaths of many. This was the man named Lockhart.

Despite Lockhart's intimidating look, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I owed him a great debt. I was not wrong. This man did save my life. I just assumed in my youthful age that people saved others out of kindness. I thought keeping a person alive wasn’t something you could just slap a motive onto. That opinion was soon scattered among the ashes of discarded dreams as I learned more about my savior.

Lockhart took his feet off his priceless desk and glared at me. I watched as he folded his hands and pressed his pointer fingers against his mouth. He looked into my eyes for a few short moments before lowering his hands onto his desk and speaking to me with a warm tone.

"Welcome. I am Professor Lockhart."

"I remember you. You were there with Genesis that day," I remarked.

Lockhart smiled and nodded.

"I accompanied him and aided in your rescue. I was also responsible for your rebirth. I heard you've come to call yourself Heaven."

"I don't remember my name... But Father always called me his slice of Heaven."

"I see. I suppose you want to know exactly why I saved you."

"No one can ever do anything out of good will can they," I muttered.

Lockhart must have had excellent hearing. Somehow he was able to distinguish the words from my intangible babble.

"That is not necessarily true. We would have tried to prevent this, but Nina is... Unpredictable."

Lockhart took a minute to think up his next sentences. He knew more than anyone that the recent events of my life were not exactly a light topic of conversation. He was careful to choose his next words.

"So, your rebirth. I suppose it’s best to start at the beginning. As I have stated, I am a professor, a man of Science. My field of study is in human biology, more specifically the field of genetics. I used to work for an American research team experimenting with things such as stem cell research. But, this was not the work that brought me here. It was my theories on genetic modification that gained the attention of a certain man. A man we call 'The Director'," Lockhart began.

"Who is The Director?" I asked, interrupting Lockhart’s exposition.

"I have wondered that myself. He is a very mysterious man. There is only so much I know and even then there is only so much I can tell you."

I remained silent so that Lockhart would continue his exposition. Any amount of information would be helpful to me. I had fumbled around in the dark for far too long since I was reborn.

"The Director is a man who has lived a very long life. Apparently, he once was a captive scientist working for the Nazi empire. Unfortunately, his scientific breakthroughs burned with Hitler's regime. That being said, he is the man who employed my services. He paid me up front to begin pursuing genetic modification. The Director wanted an army of soldiers with special powers. Though he didn't give me a straight reason."

"What does The Director need a bunch of super soldiers for?"

"The evolution of mankind. ‘We must observe the worst possible circumstances in order to develop the necessary precautions.’ His words, not mine."

"He wants to evolve humanity?"

"Indeed. That is why you are here. You are a part of us. You are now a part of the Demon Project."

"Demon Project?"

"You are what I have code named a Demon. A human with supernatural abilities and fighting strength. Each Demon can fight with the strength of ten men and regenerate even the most fatal of wounds in minutes, sometimes even seconds. On top of that, they have a unique ability granted to them through gene modification. If I am not mistaken, yours is the manipulation of light and dark matter."

Lockhart scratched the back of his head before continuing on with his monologue.

"Demons are also granted a Second Personality. The Second Personality is a digitized consciousness injected into the Demon’s mind upon creation. Each personality is taken from a sample individual. Before injection, the Second Personality is paired up with their host via compatibility score. The Second Personality is meant to function as an omniscient presence in your mind. It is able to keep an eye on your surroundings as well as help to manage your powers. Should a fight require a bit more strength, the Second Personality can seize control of its host. This puts the host's consciousness in a metaphorical back seat. The Second Personality is meant to be much stronger and more vicious in battle than the host. As such they are meant as a last resort in the event of a possible death or worse."

"What could be worse than dying?" I thought out loud as I let the words of Lockhart’s revelation sink into my mind.

Lockhart’s tone immediately shifted upon my asking of that simple question. Something about it made him feel uneasy and rather irritated.

"Exposure. Unlike most scientists, I allow you my test subjects to live as they wish. Granted this city was built specifically for you to live in. But, if your existence is exposed to the world, you would become the most wanted guinea pig on the planet."

Lockhart glared into my eyes with unwavering determination. This was the strength of a military leader, not a scientist.

"It is for that reason that I protect all my children. I will not stand by and let you all be poked and prodded before being executed."

"Children?"

"Don't get me wrong Heaven. I am not so heartless to give you this rather complicated life and not be there to listen to your gripes. Adjusting to something like this must be difficult, hence why I make sure I do all I can to ease that transition. You don't need to call me father, but I make it my goal to act as one. Should you need something, you only need to ask."

"Thanks for that," I said with bizarre warmth swelling in my body. It was strange. I felt comforted by those words.

"That being said. I only have one rule I ask you to follow. Your existence must remain a secret. There can be no witnesses."

Those words immediately sucked away the warmth that had enveloped my heart. I knew exactly what those words meant. My existence could not be revealed to the world. No witnesses. I would be forced to take the lives of innocents, should they discover who I am. I clenched my fist in frustration. Just what kind of hypocrisy was this? Lockhart was asking a sixteen-year-old child who lost his father to become the thing he despised. Lockhart wanted me to become like "her", to perform the same acts she did. I spoke my next words between clenched teeth.

"You… You want me to kill people. You are asking me to take people’s lives."

Lockhart’s gaze lowered. He took a deep sigh while avoiding eye contact with me. Yet again he had to pick and choose his words.

"I am not asking you to kill people outright like Nina did to your father. But if it comes to it…"

I slammed my fists on the table as I immediately rose up from my seat.

"Yet she is doing one hell of a job remaining hidden!"

"That is another topic I would like to discuss with you. Nina; the Demon of Graceful Embers."

"Graceful is one way to put it," I said through clenched teeth as I returned to my seat.

"She and two other Demons have gone rouge. Katelyn; the Demon of the Gale’s Edge, and Reaver; the Demon of One Thousand Bullets. While Reaver serves as Nina's guardian, I know that he won’t give into what she has become. Katelyn on the other hand shares a sort of affection towards Nina. Her affection makes her quite naive and willing to follow her down any road."

"But I cut Nina in half! Are you telling me she is still alive!?"

Lockhart grinned with a slight hint of malice in the corners of his face.

"If you think that is enough to kill her then you are sorely mistaken."

I sighed in annoyance as I realized what was asked of me.

"Let me guess. You want me to find them."

"Yes. I would appreciate it greatly."

"I only care about finding Nina. Have one of your other Demons worry about Katelyn and Reaver."

Lockhart grew rather annoyed as he spoke his next sentence. It seemed that things in Evo were worse than I imagined.

"I cannot. They have their hands full keeping CAPRA off our backs."

"CAPRA?"

"Yes, CAPRA. That Agent you saw the other night worked for them. They are an American agency specializing in the suppression of supernatural phenomena. We have had a few run-ins with them before. I urge you to avoid them if possible."

"That’s a valid excuse and all, but why me? Why should I be the one to do your dirty work?"

Lockhart simply smiled. My reaction must have brought him some amusement. Lockhart did have a flair for the dramatic.

"You were already planning to fight her. Your eyes say it all. Despite such protest over killing someone, you seem to have no qualms with tearing her in half. We are spread too thin as is and you are the only one I can spare. Not only that but you have grown accustomed to how she fights. You are the best option I have currently."

"Fine," I spoke with aggravation.

"But I am doing this for my father, not for you."

Lockhart nodded and watched as I prepared to exit the office. He uttered one final sentence as I took my first steps away from the desk.

"Funny. You looked so tense earlier when I asked you kill, yet when I mention her name you flip, like sides of a coin."

I ignored the insulting observation Lockhart made. It was completely baseless. My fight against Nina was different. She was far from innocent. The moment one takes a life, their own life becomes that much riper for the taking. I was ready to reap Nina of her essence. I would destroy her existence if it meant my father could rest easy.

That was when I took my leave. I felt a huge weight on my shoulders again. The weight of the promise I made. The promise I made to put my father’s soul to rest. I flashed back to the Black Shore. I remember what the image of my father said to me. He said to stand and fight. Now I was finally prepared to truly fulfill that request.

I walked, with power in my steps, through the doors of Lockhart’s office. I passed Genesis as I took my leave. He didn't even look at me as I exited the office into the hallways of the Cocoon. Something about my frustrations made him uneasy, yet I hardly knew it was unsettling.

*****​

Genesis stepped into the office as I left and saw Lockhart smiling. Lockhart’s smile was like that of a mischievous child. Definitely not something fitting his age. Something from that conversation brought him great pleasure. Genesis sighed as he stopped in front of Lockhart’s luxurious writing desk.

"He is going to surpass you someday," said Lockhart in a quiet, yet cheerful sort of voice.

"I don’t doubt it. He is his son after all."

 

Chapter 8: Chasing Flames​

I had spent my afternoon sitting on the same swing set Terra brought me to once before. The sun was shining brightly in the mid-day sky. Clouds sailed like ships along the summer blue. Terra was getting higher and higher up into the summer air as she swung. She longed to reach up and touch God. Despite my warnings that she would be wasting her time, something within her drove her closer and closer to the sky. I suppose someone who only ever knew Earth would long to touch the clouds.

I sat still, lost in thought. Despite the warm day around me, I felt surrounded by shadows. Terra stopped herself and looked at me as she slowed down to a halt. She placed her hand on my shoulder causing me to jump. I turned to face her as she gave me a faint hint of a smile to help ease my weary soul. She then looked ahead at the sunlit skyline ahead of us before finally parting her lips to speak.

"So, have you found your reason to live yet?" Terra asked.

"I’m not sure," I said with disappointment.

"You would have had me convinced when you fought Nina."

"I just remember thinking I didn’t want to see anyone else die, that’s all."

"Aw~! You tried to protect me!" Terra exclaimed in a much cheerier voice than usual.

Terra’s giddy remark caught me completely off guard as I nearly fell off the swing.

"N-no! I mean… I guess? I just thought… I just… I didn’t want to be alone again."

Terra giggled to herself as she watched me fluster. Traces of red flooded through my cheeks as I tried not to make eye contact. I felt Terra’s hand press into my back and begin to trace indents of bone in soothing motions.

"It’s okay Hev. I was just teasing. I know it wasn't easy going up against her. And going after her now won't be any easier."

"I can’t sit around and wait for her to kill more people. She has to pay for her sins."

"And that's your choice to make, but allow me to inform you of another."

I turned and looked at Terra as she spoke. Her words left her mouth like a gust of soothing cool air.

"Train with me. I'll help you get stronger and learn to use your powers properly."

"I used to train with my father as I kid. I can fight on my own, even without my powers. Thanks… But I’ll be fine, this is something I have to do alone."

Terra tried to hide her irritated glare. She didn’t like my response one bit.

"Just come back alive," Terra said with a much more aggravated expression.

There was no doubt that my decision disappointed Terra. Looking back on it now, I couldn’t have been more foolish. I was young and I was blind. The death of my father had cast my soul into the pits of a never ending darkness. At the end of this abyss, there existed only fire. Everything else around me was a blur. All that mattered to me was reaching the flame. Anything else was just a distraction. Something to divert me from the path. A temptation. I wouldn’t fall for it. I wouldn’t stray from my path.

I had a promise to keep. I kept thinking of that same mantra over and over again. I promised my father he would be able to rest in peace. Nina had to die. That was the only reason for me to stand in this world and walk. Nina was the only reason I had to live. I would walk farther and endure more pain than ever before if it meant Nina could die by my hand. These were the vengeful thoughts that plagued my young mind.

I had long since left the small playground and pulled my hood over my face. My angered mind was still chanting hymns of promise. As I walked forward I could hear the "other me’s" voice in my mind speaking through the miasma of poison thoughts.

"You rang?"

"Yeah. I need you to locate Nina for me… Is that possible?"

"That’s easy. I take it you’re going after her?"

"Yes."

"You’re just gonna get yourself killed you know."

"Then my body will belong to you."

I couldn’t see the "other me’s" face but I could imagine he was burying it in his palm.

"Not at all kid. We are both parts of one mind. If you die, I die."

"Then we better get used to each other. Do you have a name?"

I could hear the "other me" begin to chuckle. Something about my question amused him.

"I don’t remember my name. But all things considered, you can call me Hell."

A small grin emerged on my face as the other spoke his newfound name. The obvious duality of our names was satisfying to think about.

"Heaven and Hell united in one of Nature’s vessels."

"What are you on about?"

"Just a funny little thought."

Hell sighed and immediately shifted topics to Nina. He had already tracked down her exact location while we had conversed.

"Nina is squatting out in the Slums. It’s some old abandoned shipping yard. Katelyn and Reaver are both with her. I’m gonna warn you now kid, Reaver is a lot tougher than Nina. Some even say he is stronger than Genesis."

"I’ll keep that in mind."

This was it. I knew where she was. I was going to take the fight to her. I was getting so close to finally laying my father’s spirit to rest. Victory was within my grasp.

*****​

Nina stood atop the tallest crane in an old shipping yard. She looked out to the sea as the sun began to descend over the widespread mirror that was the ocean. Sunlight glistened and danced along the ripples in the calm salt water. Nina’s flame like hair waved in the coastal winds as she stared outward. Nina's eyes gazed at Nature’s beauty with indifference. The girl with the emerald dress approached Nina cautiously.

"That kid you’re obsessed with is coming after us," she said with a dull tone.

A sadistic grin widened upon Nina’s face as she turned to face her ally.

"Leave him be, Katelyn. He is only walking to his death anyway," responded Nina with cruel delight in her voice.

*****​

I had approached the electric fence that sealed off the Slums from the rest of the city. With a swift cut from my dark blade, I erased parts of the fence allowing me to pass through. I felt a sudden force of energy behind me as I made it through the path I had forged. I turned to see the matter I erased had returned to this world, albeit with violent force.

"So I can’t erase things completely," I muttered.

"Or maybe you can only keep things erased temporarily?" Hell responded.

With that small, useful piece of information at my disposal, I continued my walk through the Slums. To be honest, the name of this district was a severe understatement. That place made the ghettos of major American cities look like rich neighborhoods. Every building looked like a bomb had gone off within its confines. This place wasn’t just a simple poor district. As I walked through the abandoned streets, the truth of this place became clear. It wasn’t a ghetto, it was a ruin.

Some great event in the city’s history caused the Slums to transform into a dust ridden husk. As I walked, I could see more and more signs of conflicts that had erupted on the streets. It was impossible to tell what exactly happened to this place. I couldn’t even begin to imagine in my wildest dreams what the town looked like before the battles. This empty, desolate landscape was once alive. Yet now as my eyes gazed at the streets before me I saw a dead place.

*****​

Genesis made his way to Lockhart’s office. Many questions were brewing in the swordsman’s mind as he passed through Lockhart's doors. Lockhart looked up from his work to see the knight in the black coat approach. Genesis immediately took to business as he took a seat.

"Has CAPRA made any moves?" Genesis asked with a slight edge to his concern.

"Not that I know of. For all we know, Wolf could be calling in reinforcements."

"That could be very bad for us. God knows how strong the Agents have become since New York." Genesis spoke as he clenched his fists tight.

Lockhart sighed to himself and looked at Genesis. Lockhart knew well that the horrors of New York were still burned into Genesis' mind. Genesis had been fighting CAPRA tooth and nail since the Battle for New York came to a climax. While Genesis has a modicum of respect towards Agent Wolf, it is the other Agents that he fears. Some believed in the purity of humanity. Others joined up just so they could kill something that put up one hell of a fight. In some cases, the men and women who served CAPRA were more demonic than the Demons themselves.

"We have lasted this long without them coming after us. I suppose after all those years, our luck has run out," Lockhart stated in a somber tone.

Lockhart knew all too well that the small time of peace that he and his "children" had enjoyed was coming to a close. He knew that soon he would have to call upon all the Demons to fight for their lives.

Genesis looked at Lockhart with a sigh as if he was reading his mind.

"You have too much faith in him," Genesis said to Lockhart.

"That may be true. But I know without a single fragment of doubt… He is destined to do great things."

*****​

As Lockhart and Genesis spoke I had already found my enemies, or rather they found me. Nina and her two cohorts were staring me down as I stood against them in defiance. They had no idea what was about to be set in motion. This battle was going to be the one to open the floodgates of Inferno itself. The Underworld would soon unleash its tormenting flames unto the world.

I stood before Nina and her allies; Katelyn and Reaver. These two people saw fit to take the side of a murderer. It ignited a fire in my heart that could not be extinguished. It was an incurable rage that had built up inside me. A rage that brought forth vivid images of my dead father. I wasn’t about to let Nina get away. I was not going to lose. I was going to kill her then and there and put her to rest in a casket of brimstone.

A tough looking man who seemed to be in his early twenties approached me. This man was Reaver. He was rugged, to say the least. His rough face painted the image of a soldier who sought refuge from the battlefield. Irony spat in his face and brought him here, to the worst of all battlefields. His vibrant yellow eyes reflected the horrors of war. The grotesque works of art he had seen during his time as a soldier imprinted upon his pupils. His blond hair was dirty and dark. It was rather long yet had a bit of a spiked looked to it as it draped just past his broad shoulders. His broad and brawny face showed only sorrow as he glared into my eyes. Reaver had the face of a man who had long since been broken.

Reaver wore a black tank top that clung to his noticeable muscle tone. Despite leaving the military he still kept his body in top shape. Over his tank top was a sleeveless hoodie, also black. Reaver’s trousers were standard military combat trousers with an urban camouflage print. His trousers were tucked underneath his black combat boots, which were made of a tough, military-grade leather. Despite long since abandoning the past, Reaver wore the garments of a soldier to remind him of what he once was. To him, wearing those clothes was a means of atonement for something.

"I promised myself I wouldn't kill anyone. But that doesn't mean I won't protect Nina," said Reaver as he walked ahead of Nina and stood between myself and my foe.

I readied myself and summoned my two blades to my hands. That’s when I saw it. Before my eyes, Reaver had opened up a small golden Mind Gate beside his face. From the gate, Reaver pulled out a heavy revolver and aimed it at me faster than I could blink. All I can remember hearing is the gunshot.

 

Chapter 9: One Thousand Bullets​

A single bullet had lodged itself in my shoulder. My eyes widened as I felt adrenaline pump into my body to numb the pain. How? How did he fire so fast? Where did he get that gun from!? So many questions swirled through my mind in a vortex. My mind was clouded by anxiety. I never expected there were Demons other than Genesis who could use Mind Gates.

"Someday you may be able to use their power…," said the voice of Genesis as it reverberated throughout the far reaches of my brain.

My brain spiraled at the sudden realization. The Mind Gate wasn’t just something that only Genesis was capable of. Genesis told me I would be able to use the Gates one day. Were all Demons were capable of wielding that power!? The power to make thoughts into reality. This power was the end game for a Demon, and Genesis and Reaver had long since surpassed that end.

Reaver stood firm as he returned his pistol to the Gate. He just stood there watching as I clenched my teeth in pain. I felt my arm grow heavier and heavier as adrenaline pumped through me. Within just a few seconds my wound began to regenerate. The bullet was forced out of its fleshy cave by my regeneration and fell to the ground with a distinctive "plink." Reaver continued to stare me down as I recovered. I quickly readied my swords and prepared to charge. If Reaver was going to stand between me and Nina then I was going to carve him out of my way.

"What do you think you are trying to do?" Reaver said in a condescending voice.

I refused to let up as I stared down Reaver’s menacing glare.

"You’re in my way," I growled.

"And you’re a fool who thinks too highly of his own power," Reaver retorted.

"Shut up!"

I dashed towards Reaver. Nothing he said would change my stubborn mind. I was consumed with one desire. My one reason to live was right in front of me, but this one stranger had to get in my way. I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let anyone stand between me and my reason to live. Nina had to die. There was no other way. She had to die.

As I drew ever closer to Reaver I watched as he opened a multitude of Mind Gates. From each Gate came forth a single firearm. A wall of varying gun barrels appeared behind Reaver and aimed itself at me. I stopped dead in my tracks as the wall of Mind Gates opened fire upon me. Instinct kicked in and I used my light blade to block any bullets that came too close to hitting me. I would’ve been stunned with amazement at the feat I had just accomplished were it not for my killing intent consuming my body and mind.

"You are pushing yourself too much Heaven," Hell announced from within his mental confines.

I shut out Hell without as much as a response. I couldn’t let him distract me. It was my moment. It was my time. Nina was in front of me, and I had two Demons to plow through. The concept of life had escaped me. Life in this instance was something meant to be taken. It was something that was given up when the wicked assumed wickedness and chose the path of evil. These were the consequences of their choices.

Looking back, I realize I was so lost in this conviction that I had lost sight of myself. I believed the choices that Nina and her comrades had made yielded some kind of consequence. Yet I had failed to remember what Terra had taught me. Consequence was just an illusion, and that illusion had consumed me.

I stormed forward blocking any bullets that came towards me. As soon as I got close enough I readied my dark blade and shouted at the top of my lungs. I opened a rift that absorbed the hail of gunfire hurtling towards me. Within seconds I was inches from running my light blade through Reaver’s neck. However, as I prepared to end his life, he smiled.

"You really think you’re the hero here, don’t you?"

My eyes widened. A kind of dumbfounded rage consumed my very core as I glared into Reaver’s eyes.

"What the hell did you say?"

I reached out to grab Reaver by the throat. Reaver swiftly blocked my outstretched arm before locking me into a grapple. Within seconds I was at his mercy with several guns barrels pointing at me point blank range through the Mind Gates.

"Look at yourself. Do you honestly believe the reason you are standing here in front of me, fighting me, is the right reason?" asked Reaver in an angered confusion.

"She has to die. That cold hearted bitch has to die!" I growled in defiance as Reaver kept his dominant stance over me.

"You are a fool to think that! What reason do you have to kill Nina!? What reason other than revenge!?"

"It's not revenge! I just want to see my father’s soul pass on in peace. I have to fulfill my promise!"

Reaver looked at me with a completely dumbfounded look on his face. It was the most disgusted look I had ever seen on a man. A look that was fighting off imminent rage. Something I said created this look of disdain. I felt my heart struggle to hold its conviction. That was when Reaver did something strange. He closed his Mind Gates. Was he sparing me? The answer, unfortunately, was no. Reaver grabbed me by the collar and punched me right in the face and dropped my stunned body onto to the ground.

"You are a fucking idiot!" Reaver screamed in a furious shock.

I struggled back to my feet and braced myself in case Reaver tried to pound my face in once more.

"How am I an idiot? I promised my father that I would see him to the other side. That I would avenge his death. That he wouldn’t have died in va-!"

Reaver punched me once again. This time, it was an uppercut straight to the jaw.

"I take it back. You aren’t an idiot. You’re just blind."

"No. You are blind to follow her!"

I gasped as I felt Reaver's knee collide with my stomach. I coughed up a wad of my own spit and blood onto Reaver’s boot as I gripped my gut tightly. My eyes widened with rage as Reaver beat up on me.

"Y-you are no better than her!" I shouted.

Reaver came in with a kick that I dodged swiftly. I maneuvered around Reaver’s leg and came in with my light blade. I thought I would have been able to cut into Reaver’s neck and sever his cocky head from his spine. That was merely a dream that would never be fulfilled as I felt a sharp slug of lead burrow through my gut.

I screamed in absolute agony. I may have been able to regenerate, but that didn’t help with the pain. Even restoring my body to its prime condition hurts like hell.

"You are so unbelievably blind. You honestly think that you are on the right side. That there even is a ‘right side’ to begin with!" Reaver hollered down at me with a reprimanding tone.

"Nina has to die. She is a horrible inhuman monster! You weren’t there! You don’t know what she did! You could never understand the promise I made!" I shouted back in frustration.

"That is where you are wrong," Reaver spoke calmly.

"Wh-what?"

"I watched her kill all those people. I watched her kill your father. I watched you fight back. I watched you till the end. You never made a promise to him. That promise does not exist."

"You liar!" I cried out in anger as I rushed at Reaver in an attempt to cut him to shreds.

I tried to cut a rift into negative space, only to feel my hand get caught in Reaver’s clutch. My eyes widened as I tried to pull away from Reaver only for him to pull with greater strength and lift me up and over his own body. He swung my body like a ragdoll and slammed me down onto the street. My body hit the ground hard enough to shatter the concrete below. Blood flew from my mouth as I felt every ounce of my breath escape me. Reaver placed a boot upon my rib cage and glared down at me.

"That promise does not exist! That promise is a fabrication of your mind. It is an attempt to justify your revenge! You haven’t had a desire to avenge anything! You just want to see Nina die! The only difference between avenge and revenge is their prefixes!"

I felt strength leave me. Was I wrong all this time? I just wanted my father to rest in peace. But then, I was told that this dream was just that, a dream. It was a lie I created just to bring about the death of someone else. I had become the very thing I was trying to hunt down. I fell to my own bloodlust so quickly. In fact, I had fallen right from the start. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared passed Reaver into the blue sky above.

"I… How could I have..? How is it a lie..?"

Reaver took his foot off of me and helped me up.

"The mind can do cruel things to itself. All humans seek to justify their own actions. I don’t blame you, but I still cannot allow you to harm her. I’m sor-!"

Just then, a ball of flame hurtled between me and Reaver. I turned and shot a glare at Nina as she stared down Reaver with pure rage.

"Reaver! How about you stop talking, and start killing!" Nina shouted in frustration.

"To think you would want to protect her," I spoke softly.

"I am just as flawed as you are. Now run before she gets anymore bored" replied Reaver.

Reaver turned and faced Nina in defiance. He stepped forward towards her and stood down.

"Kill him yourself. I’m done here."

Nina sighed and slowly began to glide her tongue along the edge of her lips. Without warning, Nina dashed towards me. I swiftly blocked the incoming strike of Nina’s fist with my dark blade. I watched as she fought through the pain of the matter in her wrist being erased. Her hand fell to the concrete in a bloody mess and a new one grew in its place as quick as it left. I backed up as Nina unleashed a flurry of flaming punches. I blocked with my light blade as more and more burning blows came closer to my body. I ducked under Nina’s right hook only to feel her foot collide with my face and knock me into the air. Nina channeled flames in her palms and launched a barrage of fire bolts towards me. I managed to recover and descended towards the ground as I blocked any bolts that came near me. Once I landed, I ran at Nina, brandishing my blades as she attempted to blast me away with her flames.

"This is the end!" I shouted as I leapt towards Nina with my blades raised back.

A loud clash of metal rang out as Reaver appeared in front of me and blocked my strike with a rifle.

"Out of way Reaver!" I screamed as I backed off from him.

"Have you learned nothing!? I already told you! I will not let you kill her! Now get out of here already!" Reaver screamed as he opened another wall of Mind Gates and unleashed a bullet storm upon me.

I swiftly swung my dark blade and tore open a rift to shield me from the bullets long enough to close in on Reaver once more. We were right back where we started.

"Don’t get me wrong Reaver. I understand what has happened to me," I said as I readied myself for the killing blow.

"I am faced with two roads, yet I already chose one path before I even understood what each choice meant."

Reaver clenched his teeth tightly as I prepared to cut into his flesh.

"What the hell are you saying!?" Reaver growled.

"I already chose to become the very thing I hunted. The moment I set hateful eyes on Nina I became just like her. You can’t go back on your choices, you can only walk forward." I muttered to Reaver in an eerie calm.

Reaver’s eyes went wide as I swiftly glided my light blade across his stomach. Reaver leaned into me as my dark blade pierced through the wound I had already created. With one swift motion, I guided my dark sword up through Reaver's body severing his right arm at the shoulder. He fell to the ground screaming in agony as his blood sprayed over my face.

"You fucking… Fool!" Reaver cried in a raspy, blood-soaked voice.

I turned to face Nina with blood dripping down my face. Reaver writhed on the ground as he slowly regenerated his grave wound. Nina looked tense. A sickening smile grew on my face as I approached her. If this was what I had become, then so be it. No human can kill a monster after all.

A faint giggle began to echo throughout the sunlit street. Nina was cackling like a mad witch in a fit of pleasure. I stared her down with monstrous determination. Nina smiled and licked her lips once more.

"I was right to let you escape! You have proven to be far more interesting than I could have ever imagined!" Nina cried, the ultimate bliss filling her body.

"This is what you created that day. It’s time you took responsibility for my fall!" I shouted as I began my stride towards Nina.

"You created me. Your choices brought this upon me. Your choices clouded my own. I could have let you go. I could have forgiven and forgotten. I could have lived a normal life, never using these powers! But something inside me… Something deep in my heart longed for the satisfaction of seeing your lifeless corpse!"

Nina continued to glare at me with stunned fascination.

"Terra was right. Everyone has choices to make, and I now know I made the wrong ones. I could say I have no choice but to see this through. But I do, and I already made my decision. I didn’t come this far to turn tail and run!"

I was within striking range of Nina now. It was time to end this quest for revenge. I had already decided. Even if it was a lie. Even if I never promised my father anything. Even if it isn’t the "right" choice to make. I was going to keep walking forward through the fire. After all, no one is perfect, not humans, not Demons. This was a lesson, a mistake that I could not run from. Nina would hunt me down as fervently as I did her. The conflict would not end until one of us was destroyed. This was the path we had set ourselves down. I had every chance to stray from it, but would that make me a coward? It didn’t matter. I had already decided.

Nina and I were ready to tear into each other. It was going to be my toughest battle yet. It was…

"Now, now, settle down children~!" said an unfamiliar female voice dripping with malice similar to Nina’s

All of us turned to see the Agent that Genesis fought at the Center City Gardens. Accompanying him was a girl much shorter than him gripping a rather sharp looking axe.

"You have all been very naughty~!"

 

Chapter 10: Mind Zero
​

Nina and I turned to see the Agents of CAPRA staring at us with their weapons ready. I recognized Wolf from the time he fought Genesis. But the girl beside him was new. She looked far more intimidating than Wolf. The weapon she carried was a large axe she held with two hands. It was rather modern and sleek for a design so old and historic. The entire body of the weapon had a black coating while the edge was sharp and shined in the light of the sun. It had an ergonomic curvature to it allowing the wielder to perform maneuvers that would be otherwise difficult.

"Remember Vixen, the Agency wants them taken in alive for questioning," Agent Wolf reminded the woman as she licked her lips in anticipation.

"Do the brass care exactly how ‘alive’ they are?" the woman responded.

Wolf sighed and rubbed his eyes in disappointment.

"Don’t get excessive. Otherwise, we will be no better than the things we fight."

Vixen was her name, and it was more than fitting. She was a beautiful and luscious woman of petite stature. She bore the cunning and sly demeanor of the beast from which she stole her name. She was a fox of the arctic as her skin was pale like the ice that forged her heart and soul. This pale complexion was completely overshadowed by her sapphire eyes. Those eyes held within them a murderous glint. A twinkle of bloodlust that I had seen within the equally aqua shaded eyes of Nina. Vixen had a similar feel surrounding her. A woman with a battle tendency and a lust for blood.

Vixen wore a similar business garb to her peer, only with a bit of a feminine touch. Her black suit jacket was slimmer and showed more of her rather wrinkled white shirt. Vixen wore her shirt with the collar unbuttoned exposing a bit of her cleavage. She thought her collar got in the way when she fought. Her pants and shoes were also black, keeping in line with standard business wear. She kept the professional look of a CAPRA agent while adding her own personal flair. Vixen wore violet eye shadow like a mask that contrasted her pale skin. Her platinum blonde hair fell just above her brow with the rest of it tied into short, yet puffy twin tails. Despite being a cold-hearted killer, she took great pride in looking good while doing it.

"I’ll take the girl," Vixen spoke with an anticipation, not unlike Nina’s.

Those two were far too similar. It was impossible for them not to fight each other. And I believe those two knew it more than anyone. But before blades would clash, something happened that made me truly glimpse into Nina’s broken mind. She turned to face Katelyn who had been silent during the whole bout. As Katelyn turned, Reaver stared at Nina as his guts spilled out onto the pavement.

"Take Reaver and run," Nina said to Katelyn in a serious tone.

Katelyn immediately spoke up in defiance.

"No way! I’m fighting too!"

"No! They will kill you, Katelyn. You won’t survive this fight. Take Reaver and run! Now!"

What was I seeing? This was a stark contrast to the monster I had come to know as Nina. There was no way that the woman who killed my father in such bliss could show this kind of concern for her allies. The sight disturbed me. It forced me to wake up to reality from the vengeful slumber that wrapped me in its seductive arms. I was catching a glimpse of Nina’s perspective. I was beginning to understand that there was a lot more to her than meets the eye. I was starting to realize there might be something much larger going on within her mind.

My curiosity and astonishment were put on hold as Vixen dashed passed me and Wolf began to charge. I readied my blades as Wolf swung his glaive down onto me. I deflected the blow with ease and attempted to maneuver around his reach. Wolf met my sneaking blow with much resistance and pushed me back with a powerful strike. I slid back on my feet and did my best to regain my footing. I glanced back and saw that Nina had her hands full. Vixen’s fighting style was far different from Wolf’s. Wolf had control and finesse with a large weapon. Vixen was a flat out berserker. She swung her axe with force and ferocity. Yet her strikes were not as frantic as one might think. They were calculated. Nina had done her best to repel and dodge the oncoming strikes Vixen unleashed. But she had already suffered two severe wounds from that fearsome axe.

I clenched my teeth in frustration and went on the attack. I had no idea I was playing into Wolf’s hands. Wolf blocked my strikes with little effort and retaliated with an uppercut. I dodged out of the way just in time and attempted to strike at Wolf’s legs. Wolf responded by leaping back and swinging his glaive at me. The blade grazed my cheek and left a thin cut across my face. Blood trickled from the wound before it regenerated. I growled in aggravation and recalled my blades to me. I struck out my palms and fired a barrage of light beams. My eyes widened as Wolf demonstrated near inhuman reflexes as he dodged my attacks. Within seconds Wolf had closed the gap. I called my blades forth and tried to cut the weapon with my dark matter blade. I had only one chance to buy myself more time. This was the chance I needed.

Nina and Vixen exchanged blows furiously. Vixen was dodging Nina’s frantic fire blasts with relative ease. It was as if she knew where each blast was going to occur.

"You aren’t the first pyrokinetic I’ve fought! But I must say you are much better than the last one~!" Vixen spat at Nina.

Nina growled with a primal anger. Both of her arms were completely engulfed in flame as she gave into her rage. She rushed at Vixen who dodged Nina’s enraged punches with little to no effort. Vixen then swung her axe and brought it to meet Nina’s stomach. Nina’s eyes went white as pain spread throughout her body. Blood spewed and poured from her gaping mouth as she gasped for air in shock. Vixen grinned as she tilted the blade of her axe inside Nina’s stomach. Nina gasped for air as she felt the blade of Vixen’s axe wedge its way to her spine. She couldn’t even scream as blood began to fill up inside her throat and secrete onto Vixen’s weapon. Vixen’s grin grew wider as she removed her axe head and let her prey’s wounded body fall to the floor. She grabbed Nina’s arm and glared at her with a terrifyingly happy expression. With one swift motion, the arm Vixen had grasped was now seemingly floating away from Nina’s body. Why was her arm so far away? That’s when realization took over and I witnessed Nina's first moment of humanity.

I had never heard a scream so terrifying and full of fear than the one set loose from the depths of Nina’s maw. It was a scream so lucid and real, I was beginning to forget who Nina was. Her voice was loud and strained on her throat. She would gurgle and choke on her own blood as she cried out in unbearable pain. Vixen licked her lips as she stepped closer to Nina, grasping her severed arm. Vixen smiled and let the blood from Nina’s removed arm drip down onto Nina’s face. Nina’s eyes widened in absolute shock as she watched her own blood and flakes of flesh drip onto her skin. She began to struggle. She tried to reach out to Vixen with her other arm only for Vixen to plant her foot upon her wound. Nina screamed out in wretched agony as the heel of Vixen’s tailored shoe dug into her insides. Vixen curled her fingers around Nina’s hand and caressed it softly. Nina cried her eyes out in such astonished fear. Vixen then tightened her grip around the wrist and began to tug on Nina’s arm. Nina could feel the stress building up in her shoulder joints. The cracking of bone began to ring out. Nina began to breathe heavier and more frantic. She didn’t dare struggle. She couldn’t. She tried to engulf herself in flames and disappear. But the second Vixen felt a rise in temperature she began to choke Nina with her foot. Nina had used all her energy to scream out her pain. This was the end for her. Or at least she assumed.

A single gunshot rang out and Vixen stopped moving. She turned and glared at Wolf who had fired a single warning shot.

"You're wide open!" I shouted as I charged at Wolf.

I gripped my sword of dark matter tight as I swung at Wolf. He quickly blocked the strike only for my blade to go right through his guard. My sword cut through the pole of Wolf’s glaive, erasing its matter and severing it in two. Wolf didn’t seem to care about that now as he leapt away to create some distance. He stared into Vixen’s eyes with anger after escaping my reach. Wolf would glare back at me to make sure I didn’t make any sudden movements. If I tried to strike him he would put enough bullets in me to at least knock me out.

"Vixen! Stand down! We need them alive, remember!?" Wolf shouted in irritation.

"Sorry, Wolfy~!" Vixen replied giggly.

"Help me with this one. He seems stronger than the girl."

Vixen nodded and dashed towards me. I leapt up and over her as she dashed at me. I landed on the ground behind her and prepared for an even more challenging fight. I would have to focus most of my efforts on eliminating Vixen. She was definitely the stronger and more unpredictable fighter. All Wolf had left was his firearm which wouldn’t do much except stall me. That’s when I noticed something. Wolf’s glaive. It was still in one piece!

"Shit!" I thought as Vixen dashed at me once more forcing me to defend.

Vixen swung her axe at me with immense speed and power. I did my best to block the strikes, but each attack had enough force to throw my arm back when I blocked. She was able to power through my parries with ease. I felt Vixen’s axe graze my stomach as I leapt back to dodge only for Wolf to cut into my back from behind with his glaive. Adrenaline surged through me as I fought the pain.

"H… How?! I erased his weapon!" I thought as Wolf tossed me into the ground.

Hell’s voice rang out amidst my confusion as I did my best to ward off Wolf and Vixen’s strikes.

"I think I figured it out," Hell said.

"Well hurry up and tell me. I don’t think I have many opportunities left to turn this fight around," I thought back as I stood my ground covered in wounds.

"It’s just like that fence. If you don’t stay focused on an object then it will restore itself in seconds."

I did my best to listen to Hell as I desperately fought off attacks from Wolf and Vixen. My body was slowly running out of stamina as our blades clashed. Hell needed to pick up the pace if he was going to help me survive this.

"You aren’t going to be able to focus on Wolf’s weapon with Vixen on your ass. But that got me thinking. Your light matter can make so much more than just swords."

I leapt away from Vixen and Wolf and immediately pinned them down with beam fire.

"Hurry the fuck up Hell! I don’t think I can hold out for much longer here!" I shouted aloud as I fired a barrage of concentrated light matter.

"If you can’t focus on erasing Wolf’s weapon, make his weapon your own. Make a copy of it with your light matter!"

My eyes widened as Wolf and Vixen broke through my suppression and were charging towards me.

"God dammit! This better work!" I screamed as I concentrated my mind on the thought of Wolf’s weapon.

Before I knew it a light copy of Wolf’s glaive appeared in my hands shining like a star. I used the glaive to block Vixen and Wolf’s attacks and push them back. Wolf seemed completely unimpressed.

"A copycat huh?" Wolf muttered.

Wolf retracted the grip of his glaive. Now it was no longer a polearm but a bizarre, rectangular blade. The only place to grip it was directly behind the blade itself. Wolf rushed towards me while Vixen pulled out her pistol and laid down suppressing fire. I blocked the bullets, unknowingly leaving myself wide open. Wolf's blade glided across my chest in three successful slashes. I stumbled back and brought my glaive down onto Wolf. Wolf dodged the strike and sliced into my chest once more. He grabbed me by the neck and threw me towards Vixen with ease. I struggled to regain my footing before meeting that horrifying axe blade. I managed to stop myself from stumbling into Vixen’s axe. I blocked her strike and twirled my glaive around my body to create some distance. Vixen tried to find an opening in my flourish and went in. I dashed away from her strike and raised my guard. Wolf charged towards me and swung his closed glaive at me. I parried the strike away and kicked Wolf back. Vixen ran towards me at that point and leapt over my strike as I swung my glaive at her. Vixen grinned as she readied her axe. The way she aligned her edge and where her body was aiming all indicated my demise. This strike was going to take my head. That is, if it weren’t for some interference.

Vixen met something in midair and was sent hurtling into mossy concrete. I looked to see a black figure land in front of me. I recognized that iconic coat in an instant. Genesis had saved my life once again.

"That makes twice now," Genesis said as he glared back to me.

"I’ll return the favor someday," I responded.

Genesis and I stood back to back as Wolf and Vixen both prepared to continue their offensive. Genesis unsheathed his sword and prepared himself. The tension in the air was palpable, like pressure building up in a glass jar. One little fracture was all it took for everything to explode. Genesis immediately dashed towards Wolf and attacked before he had a chance to think. The two titans began their clash once again.

While Genesis and Wolf exchanged blows back and forth, I took on the devilish maiden that was Vixen. Vixen gripped her axe in both hands and dashed towards me with it wound up like a baseball bat. I swung my glaive in an attempt to catch her before she got too close. Vixen grinned as she dodged my strike with ease and ran towards me. I recalled my glaive and fired a beam at Vixen’s head only for the malicious Agent to grasp my hand. Vixen clenched my wrist tight and managed to throw me up and over her, slamming me down into the ground. Getting slammed into concrete twice in one day was more than just a pain. I struggled back to my feet as Vixen was about to cleave into me. I tried to block but I was only slammed back with immense force. Vixen approached me with her axe ready to chop me into bits until Wolf told her to stop. She intended to destroy me faster than Wolf could restrain her. I could see it in her eyes. I tried to fight her approach in desperation. I knew that if she got within striking range she would win the battle. I was losing stamina. I was tired. The fight with Reaver had already drained me. I wasn’t prepared to go up against two Agents. I never stood a chance. Before I even realized it, an axe had cleaved into my left shoulder. My eyes widened and I screamed. I screamed out in absolute pain as I felt the blade slowly grind through my bone. Vixen extracted her axe from the burrow it made of my flesh, leaving behind a gaping wound. It was worse than getting burned alive. Much worse. Once again I fell to my knees, finding myself at the mercy of someone else.

Time seemed to slow down to a crawl. I watched as my sight drew closer and closer to my own reflection in Vixen’s eyes. Through my reflection, I descended into the sea of black that was my pupil. A single white light shone at the end of the dark tunnel. With a bright flash, I felt myself dive back into the far reaches of my own mind. My head was spinning with no sense of what way was right side up. I couldn’t distinguish between what was the reality of my mind and what was the infinite. Within seconds I felt sense hit me like a train and I was thrown into a tangible reality constructed by my own mind. As I felt myself come to terms with my environment, I slowly began to understand where my mind had taken me. I had been taken to the White Room, or at least what my mind had perceived to be the White Room. The walls were still made of that glossy white metal. But, the walls looked transparent. Screens displaying images floated along the white surface in commute. Every image seemed to be from the day my father died.

"Welcome back," I heard Hell say from behind me.

I turned to face Hell as he leaned against the wall of the room. Memories of Lockhart and Genesis floated behind the wall Hell leaned against.

"What is this place?" I asked.

"It's your head. You should be able to figure that out yourself."

"My guess is that this room is created from my memory."

I looked at the center of the room. Low and behold, as according to memory, a wooden black chair stood idle in the center. I began to approach the chair as if drawn to it. Something inside me was telling me that this chair was important. As I made my way closer to the chair I heard Hell shout from behind me.

"Hev!"

I turned to see another person inside the room. He stared at me with a smile as I laid my eyes upon him. He looked exactly like me, except he was practically an albino. His skin was pale, his eyes bore white irises, and his hair was the color of snow. I immediately readied myself in anticipation of an attack, but no such thing occurred. The "pale me" just smiled and spoke in an eerie voice.

"Good morning…"

"Who are you?" I asked in confusion.

"It's your head. I believe you already know the answer to that question," responded the albino.

Being inside your own mind is strange. At first, everything seems foreign to you. But within seconds you are suddenly overwhelmed with knowledge. You become practically omniscient. And within those seconds I knew the identity of the man standing before me. The man who looked like he was made entirely out of light.

"You are my subconscious," I said.

"I am indeed. But for sake of conversation, you can call me Purgatorio."

Purgatorio bowed to me in a grand gesture as Hell approached from behind.

"Really? You’re his subconscious?" Hell asked.

"Yes. Traversing the realms of your own mind is tricky. Even while inside it, the mind continues to find ways to place things into a tangible form. Same thing goes for you Hell. In truth, both you and I have no form here, not even Heaven. As a matter of fact, this room as well is technically formless. But as the conscious Heaven is now within the confines of his own mind, it is working to arrange things in a way he can understand."

"Yeah, cause that makes sense," Hell said with a sigh.

"In short, Hell, this is all one giant thought. Heaven is in a waking lucid dream."

I continued to look at the chair before me as Purgatorio and Hell debated. I then spoke up and voiced my curiosities.

"So then, what is this chair?"

Purgatorio approached me from behind. He stood beside me as he spoke a rather peculiar title.

"The Black Throne."

"Who came up with that cheesy name?" Hell asked from behind me.

"We did," Purgatorio exclaimed.

"And by ‘we’ you mean..?" Hell asked.

"Heaven and I~!"

I sighed to myself in annoyance. I supposed Hell’s rejection of Purgatorio was natural. Despite living in my head for a few days he was still a foreign element. Granted I wasn’t so sure how well even I could trust Purgatorio. But at the same time, I knew everything he was going to say before he said it. He was a guide to me while I was inside my head. The moment he appeared, part of me knew he was trustworthy.

"Why am I here?" I asked to get back on track.

Purgatorio then approached the Black Throne. He shot a glare back at me as he leaned against the arm of the chair.

"Because we can’t remember anything," Purgatorio said.

I approached the throne as I continued to feel drawn to it. Purgatorio watched me as I made strides towards the simple chair. Purgatorio said that I was here because we couldn’t remember anything. Was this Black Throne where my memories had all gone? Purgatorio stepped away from the seat and came to face me head on. We stared at each other as we stood in front of that black chair I once called home. I felt his pale eyes look into my own as he gave me a faint smile.

"Have you decided what you want to do?"

"Yeah. If you’re implying that this throne holds all my memories, then I’m going to take them back."

"That is not what I asked you."

I didn’t have to think for long, and Purgatorio did not have to explain it to me. He wasn’t asking about the simple choice of whether or not to bring back the memories of my old life. He was talking about what I was going to do next. I had chosen to accept the choices I had made and the monster they made me. I still had one choice left to make before I could continue to walk forward. This was the last chance I had left to make that choice. If I faltered, even for a moment, Vixen would kill me. This choice would shape the road ahead for miles. Purgatorio and I both knew that. This choice was the most important one I had to make, and it was one with infinite possibilities.

If I were to survive this battle, what will I do? So much had happened in so little time. I had seen so many things that shook the foundations of the person I had been. This persona I had assumed at rebirth was flawed and faulty. A test subject that went wrong. Even so, I had nowhere to go but forward. I started at the bottom of a pit and was writhing around within its shadowy depths. I had nowhere else to go but up, out of the pit and into the world above. Too many questions had been brought to me without any answers. I wanted to know why Reaver protected Nina, who Nina really was. I wanted to know more about Terra and Genesis. I wanted to know why Genesis and Wolf knew each other. I wanted to know the truth.

"I had… No, we had started this life on the wrong foot. All of us. We have become the very thing we despise. If we are to have any hope of redemption then we must accept our sins and move on. But we'll keep looking back to the life we left behind. We had given it all up when we became a Demon. We threw away what we had built, burned every bridge and ran forward without even thinking. It's time to return to the sleeping ruins of our memories. Perhaps we can find strength in the memories of what we once were," I said with determination.

"And what if we don’t like what we find?" Purgatorio asked.

"Then we will still accept them and move on. The past is the past, we may not be able to change it, but we must accept it for what it is and learn from the mistakes we made."

Purgatorio smiled at our resolve and gestured towards the throne.

"Then reclaim your throne. It has been waiting for you to sit upon it for a long time Heaven. A mind is only so much without its body. It’s time to reclaim what you have abandoned and remember the child that had died."

I nodded and took my seat upon the small black chair constructed from my memory. As I sat down I watched as the landscape of the White Room vanished. I saw the chair had revealed itself to be a true throne of glossy obsidian. Wires fed into to it like a web of veins. Below me was a glass floor that peered into an intangible amount of cables. Screens of memories all flashed around me as I began to lean into the throne. This was where my memories had gone. I had purged them and left them behind. I had accepted death and believed I was someone different from my old self. In a way I was right. But I still clung to the memory of my father’s death. I claimed to have been born anew, yet I clung to one single thought of the old me. I was a hypocrite. It was time to at last correct myself and accept that which was abandoned. I had now realized how ashamed I was of my weak self. How I blamed myself just as much as I blamed Nina. I hated my lack of power and my inability to fight back. I realized I had nothing to truly be ashamed of at all, and that small, weak child will always be a part of me.

Tears began to well up in my eyes as one more echo of my mind appeared before me. The memory of my younger self. I looked maybe nine or ten years old. I smiled as my eyes began to leak tears. I gently took the hands of my child self and spoke to him.

"I am never going to forget you."

I watched as my child self smiled and turned away from me to return to the stream of memory that flashed before my eyes. Finally, a flash of white light took me and I heard my father’s voice.

"You’re thinking too much son. Fighting is about thinking quick, yes. But it also about thinking less. One cannot fight with a clouded mind. If one truly wishes to be strong in battle then they must set their mind to zero."

As the light subsided I returned to the frozen reality I retreated from. Vixen was inches from striking my body with her axe. I had only a few seconds to act. My eyes glared into Vixen’s own. I grinned as I muttered two words under my breath.

"Mind… Zero…"

I summoned my light blade and sliced her across her gut. Time returned and Vixen stumbled back as I pushed forward. I swung with my dark blade with no intention of erasing. As predicted, Vixen blocked the strike and I was able to pierce through her skin with my light blade. She grunted in pain and tried to swing her axe at me.

Despite such speed and strength, Vixen's weapon still required skill to use. Vixen’s strikes were a far cry from manic, as unpredictable as they were. But that was her greatest weakness as well as her strength. She may have been able to put all her ferocity into well-calculated strikes. But, this meant that she would fall victim to a pattern. She had far too many telegraphs for when and where she would strike. I was able to maneuver through her swings and attack her exposed sides. Vixen began to get more and more enraged as I attacked her openings repeatedly. Finally, she made a fatal error in her rage. Vixen left herself wide open and I managed to make my move. All it took was one calculated swing of my light blade. My sword swung into the back of Vixen’s leg and more than likely dug into her femoral artery. Vixen fell over and screamed out in immense pain as I stood over her writhing body ready to finish her. Wolf immediately knocked Genesis away as he heard Vixen cry out.

"Vixen!"

Wolf ran towards me and attempted to get me out of the way. He pointed his glaive pointed at me. He planned to come at me from my right side. I timed my strike to just when Wolf was about to make his move. I disappeared into negative space without a trace and reemerged near Genesis. Genesis looked at me completely dumbfounded as I helped him up.

"What the hell did you do?"

"Nothing."

Genesis looked at me strangely. He had no idea what I was talking about and was completely confused.

"I don’t get it. Vixen had you right where she wanted you. How were you able to take her out like that? You fought in a way I have never seen from you. Why didn’t you fight like that before?"

"I didn’t use some hidden ability if that’s what you are getting at. I wouldn’t be dumb enough to hide a powerful technique like that. What I did is not something caused by my Demon powers. I simply remembered something that was forgotten. My father taught me that the only way to truly fight is to set your mind to zero. When I am able to fight with a clear head I am much stronger. I called it Mind Zero."

Genesis seemed to accept my answer without question. He turned to look at the road as the Evo City Police began to approach the scene. I immediately grabbed Genesis by the hand and was about to leave but he stopped me just as I grabbed him.

"We can’t leave Nina," Genesis said with an almost irritated tone.

I stomached my hate for Nina for a moment and scanned the area for her mangled body. My eyes set upon the pool of blood left behind from Vixen’s torture. All that remained were the decomposing parts of her that were removed.

"Looks like she already got away. Let’s go."

*****​

This is a long story. A story that is both comedy and tragedy. It began here when I was only sixteen and ended many years after. At the age of sixteen, I watched my father die. I sought revenge for his death. I had completely lost sight of who I was and what I was going to be. But after that day, the first time I fought with CAPRA, I had finally reclaimed everything I had thrown away. My story was no longer about revenge. It was about finding the truth. That day was the day I stood before the endless abyss of the rabbit hole. I watched as the frantic White Rabbit himself beckoned me forward. It was only a matter of time before I fell in. And once I fell into that dark chasm, I would be trapped inside for a long time.

 

Chapter 11: A Rose Bears its Thorns
​

It was late at night. From a mass of writhing flesh arose the naked body of a woman basking in the shadows. A cell phone had been ringing, prompting the woman to reach beyond one of her lovers and grab the device. Upon answering her call she felt herself become overwhelmed with fear. In seconds, she switched on the bedside lamp, exposing her bare flesh to the light. Lucky for her, her lovers were knocked out from exhaustion. Their pleasurable evening left them drained of any will to remain conscious. The woman left her bed and put on whatever clothes she could find.

The woman’s figure was slim and curved in all the right places. Her skin was fair, healthy and complimented her alluring face. Her violet eyes shone like amethysts in the light of the bedside lamp. The alluring creature pulled a white shirt over her ample breasts in one quick motion. Even the simplest of tasks looked majestic when performed by this natural beauty. She reached behind her body to pull up her long pink hair out from inside her shirt. Locks of long fuchsia flowed down her whole back like a waterfall of rose. Soft bangs draped just above her glaring, jewel-like eyes. She pulled a pair of skinny jeans over her slim, yet fleshy thighs before running out the door of her apartment in haste. Something had upset this beautiful creature. Something that would turn a graceful smile into a blood-thirsty snarl.

The woman ran with fear clutching at her heart. Fleeing from her Center City apartment she made haste towards the scene. Every footstep carried an immense emotional weight. Every second the woman could breathe she found herself hoping and praying that the news wasn’t true. She desperately wished that what she had worked so hard to keep hadn’t been destroyed.

"Please. Please still be there…"

The woman kept running. Block after block she felt the cruel fingers of fear grip tighter and tighter at her heart. She had to fight the urge to stop and rest. Her body couldn’t keep up with her mind. Her mind kept pushing her body to keep moving. She had to make it. She had to see it with her own eyes. She had to see what waited for her at the end of her sorrowful journey. The Center City Gardens.

The rain was getting heavier. Rainwater drenched the woman's clothes, which now clung to her skin. She continued to run with immense determination as the rain continued to assault her. Finally, she was getting closer to the Gardens. Her fears only worsened as the smell of smoke invaded her nostrils. Soon she began to see the faint glow of embers fluttering in the rainy air. At last, she rounded the block and came to a stunned halt. Before her, was the road leading to the Gardens. She could see with her waking eyes the place she called her home away from home. It was set ablaze. A raging hellfire consumed the one thing she held dear in this world.

The woman took several more wounding steps forward. She trudged forward through heavy waters that flooded the streets up to the curb of the sidewalk. Her eyes widened with disbelief, yet she couldn’t find the strength to rub her eyes or pinch her cheek. She knew deep within that this wasn’t a dream. She was staring into cruel reality’s grimace. It would only take a few more seconds before that terrible reality broke the poor woman. Finally, she fell to her knees before the burning spectacle. It was not long before her sadness grew too much to bear. The woman's parched lips parted and from the depths of her heart cried out a single, guttural scream of sorrow. That night would be the worst night in her life. She would struggle to face the cold hard truth that the life she had worked to keep was no more. In the blink of an eye, her work was destroyed.

*****​

Two whole days had gone by. The woman sat alone at her small dining table. The loss of her garden was still weighing down on her. She had done as much as she could to aid in the repairs. But seeing such natural beauty reduced to ash left a sour impression upon her. As the woman sat at the table she silently checked her voice mail. A familiar voice spoke from the phone as the woman sulked.

"Fiona… It’s Mark. I hate to have to be the one to tell you this, especially given how much you loved the Gardens. But, due to the increasing repair costs, we are going to have to let some people go. I am terribly sorry Fiona, but you are among those being let go..."

The woman felt her heart descend deeper into the pit of her troubles as the message concluded. Tears welled up in her eyes as her career ended in one small message. The life that this woman worked so hard to build and preserve had shattered in a mere moment.

Another message followed. This one was from an even more familiar voice.

"Flora. It’s Lockhart. You haven't answered any of my calls. I do hope you are okay. Remember if you need anything, you will always be welcome at the Cocoon."

Flora was the woman’s name. She was a Demon created by Professor Lockhart. Unlike her counterparts, Flora chose to live outside the Cocoon. When Flora was created, she couldn’t bear the thought of living within the Cocoon for the rest of her life. She loved living, she loved the Earth. To her, Nature was her closest friend, one she would dedicate her life too. Because of her strong bond with the world, Flora requested that she be allowed to live life as she once did. Her motivations to be reborn were understandable and noble. But, Flora wanted no part in the battles to come. She joined the project to be a shining beacon of progress, not a soldier. She couldn’t understand how the others willingly threw themselves into the chaos of battle. To Flora, warfare was Nature’s cancer. A tumor that had to be cut out to achieve progress. Flora disagreed with the idea that the Director presented. The idea of exploiting worst case scenarios disgusted her. She didn’t like the idea that the only way forward to the future was a bloody one.

Those ideas still held true in Flora’s mind. Even as she struggled to hold back the oncoming torrent of tears filling up in her eyes. But those same ideas were waning like the moon. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold on to her ideals. The world she struggled to build around her fell to pieces.

Finally, Flora couldn’t hold anything back anymore. The memory of her good life was flashing in her head. She knew deep down that it was all over. She knew she would have to face the Demon she was. But she was scared to do it. She was scared that she would have to fight one day. But part of her knew that she had the strength. She couldn’t avoid it any longer and that was what broke her in the end.

"So… Are you finally going to let me in?" a foreign voice asked with a whisper.

Flora knew the voice quite well. It was the voice of her Second Personality, Fauna. For the longest time, Flora had shut Fauna away deep within her own mind. But in that desperate hour, Flora lowered her guard. The voice of the thing Flora feared most came crawling back from the depths.

"Flora?" Fauna called out.

"Why did you come back?"

"I never left."

Flora sighed and did her best to wipe her tears as she leaned back into her rickety chair. She couldn’t believe what she was doing. That fire destroyed her life's work before her eyes and now she was talking to a voice in her head. But even after all the doubt, Flora still gave in and finally spoke to her other half.

"What do you want Fauna?"

"I want in. We both know who did this. If you let me in you will have the strength to fight back," Fauna declared with her deep, tempting voice.

"No! I am not a weapon!" Flora screamed as she stood up from her seat, knocking it to the floor.

"You’re right. You are not a weapon, but you are a weapon wielder. Every human in this pitiful world has the power to wield weapons. Every object in existence has the potential to be lethal. Even gravity kills people every day."

"You just want me to accept you so you can take over my body!"

"That’s not how it works. I can control your body whenever I wish, but only with your approval. As long as your subconscious opposes me, I will never be able to use your body. All this time your subconscious has been trying to force me out. All because you refuse to accept what you are. Because you have been pushing me away all this time, the life you avoided has been trying to catch up with you. I hate to break it to you, but it finally caught up."

"Why?"

"You chose to become the next step in humanity. It’s time you took up the mantle. Now look alive, you have a visitor."

Fauna’s voice faded into the back of Flora’s mind as a simple knock emerged from the door.

"Flora? You in?"

Only seconds passed before the girl knocking at the door entered the apartment. Much to the guest’s surprise, she found Flora leaning against her kitchen window in a sorry state. The girl rushed to Flora upon seeing her succumb to her fears. Flora immediately fell into the girl's embrace and spoke to her in sobs.

"I’m so glad you’re here Krysta."

Krysta was another Demon and the only one who Flora related to. Their relationship walked a strange line between lovers and sisters. The two even wore their hair the same way, long and flowing like a river of grace. Though while Flora’s hair was a vibrant shade of pink, Krysta’s was a platinum shade of blonde. Krysta herself was a pale, graceful, and resolute young woman. She held her head high at all times and carried herself with honor. She held the values of a knight of old close to her heart. While her figure was that of a petite lady, the gaze in her emerald eyes was unyielding. Her face was angular and sharp like a sword. Her whole look was the perfect blend of maiden and warrior.

Krysta’s clothes were quite simple for someone whose attitude boasts such chivalrous character. Her slim torso wore a simple white collar shirt with the sleeves rolled up. A blue and white striped tie draped down the curve of her perky chest. Long fingerless gloves, decorated with blue and white stripes, wrapped themselves around Krysta's arms. At her feet, Krysta worse simple blue sneakers with black trousers over her legs. A simple garb for a noble woman.

"I haven’t seen you lately. I thought you might have died in the fire," Krysta said softly as she comforted her weeping friend.

"I’ve been here by myself," responded Flora.

"I guess things haven’t been so good for you since the Gardens burned down."

"Krysta… I lost my job…"

Krysta felt the weight of Flora’s words fall onto her heart as she held the poor girl tighter in her embrace.

"I’m so sorry Flora… Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Flora stepped away from Krysta and rubbed the tears from her eyes. Krysta offered a tissue which Flora accepted and used to blow her stuffy nose. After finally collecting herself, a new air began to emerge from Flora. One of anger and hatred.

"Tell me where she is Krysta."

"Who?"

"Tell me where Nina is hiding."

*****​

Lockhart had called Terra, Genesis, and I to his office. He had some important assignments for us to take care of. There was a lot happening in the city. Ever since the battle with CAPRA, we began to realize just how careful we had to be with our movements. Though there were some issues that could not be ignored.

"I’m glad you all came. Let’s get right to business." Lockhart said as we stood before his desk.

"Two days ago, Nina attacked Heaven and Terra in the Center City Gardens. The battle resulted in the Gardens being burned to the ground. Ever since I have lost contact with a certain Demon."

"Which one?" Genesis immediately asked.

"Flora the Demon Scattered Roses."

"Flora?" I asked, seeing as my knowledge of the other Demons was quite limited.

Lockhart took a second before nodding to me. Finally, he began to clue me in on who Flora was.

"Flora was an interesting case. She voluntarily accepted becoming part of the project on one condition. She wanted to live life as she once did. I had no problem with her conditions and provided her as much support as I could. I gave her the necessary funding to get her life back in order and helped her get a job at the Center City Gardens. It was the job she always wanted due to her appeal to plants. But her hidden life would come at a great cost. We all knew that someday the responsibilities of a Demon would catch up with her. Though I never wished for her to be dragged into the fight against Nina. Now that she lost her old life to Nina I fear she may take the same path Heaven did."

"Has Krysta been in contact with her?" Terra interjected.

"It is possible. Sorry Heaven, Krysta is another Demon. She is the Demon of Frostbite, and a close friend of Flora’s. I need you and Terra to keep an eye on those two and keep them from facing Nina. As for you Genesis, CAPRA has been quiet and I want you to watch their movements. Things are only going to get rough here on out. Do your best to come home alive."

 

Chapter 12: Ash Rains Down on the Frost Lily​

Flora and Krysta had approached the Slums of Evo City. It had been three days since the fire. Flora had finally mustered the courage to leave her home. While she was out in the city she liked to wear rather revealing clothing. A loose fitting floral top flashed a bit of her cleavage while exposing her midriff. At her waist, she wore short jeans that barely covered her thighs. It was a stark contrast to Krysta's more punk influenced, business casual attire. Flora was slowly getting back to her usual self.

The two girls walked through the streets of a ruined ghost town. The air was far too still and eerie. The essence of this decimated district was one of death. Countless people must have died in the battles that erupted on every street. The streets became the graves for nameless souls. The destruction of one-fourth of a city is usually an event that doesn't go unnoticed. Yet, somehow the powers that be were able to cover it all up. No one even remembers how the Slums became the way they were. Some even think the place always used to be a sprawling ruin.

"How are we supposed to find her in this mess?" Flora asked with irritation.

"She usually frequents the old shipyard. Our Second Personalities should be able to pinpoint the exact location," Krysta responded.

Flora sighed to herself as she stood motionless in thought. She still hadn’t completely accepted Fauna. It was still a difficult choice for her to make, one that she was easing herself into as she drew closer to Nina. Krysta approached Flora from behind and patted her on the shoulder.

"If you’re still nervous about using it, I’ll take care of it for you. Don’t force yourself to accept her. You have to come to that naturally. Okay?"

Flora nodded and began to pick up her pace. Krysta followed closely behind, guiding Flora closer to the shipyard. Krysta began to feel anxiety swelling up inside her as their destination drew nearer. She was desperate to help Flora. But as they searched the Slums for Nina, Krysta began to question whether it was the right thing to do. She was beginning to have her doubts about Flora’s desires.

"You sure you want to do this Flora?" Krysta asked with caution.

"She burned the Gardens to the ground. That place was my home, the one thing that made this life worth living."

Krysta frowned as traces of a familiar tale began to trickle into her mind.

"You sound a lot like another Demon I heard about. He lost his father to Nina and is on a warpath because of it."

"I don’t care about the others. None of them would understand. I'm not like them at all."

Those words pierced Krysta like a dagger in the back. Doubt began to seep into Krysta’s thoughts. Did Flora trust her? Did Flora believe that Krysta was like the others? The girls carried out the rest of their journey in silence as Krysta led Flora to the shipyard. She wanted this struggle to end. She wanted to see Flora smile again, and in the end that was all that mattered. Flora was going through her own personal Hell. She felt alienated from the world. She was a Demon who wanted to live the life of a normal human. By definition, Flora was destined to be secluded on a path between two sides.

*****​

Nina sat alone in an empty warehouse. She leaned her back against an old rusted shipping crate. It had been three days since CAPRA's reveal. Nina still struggled to recover from the haunting memories of her battle with Vixen. Part of her was too terrified to move, while the other was seething with anger. The notion that a human could lay a hand on her, let alone bring her to scream out in agony. That notion drove her mad. She had to maintain her superiority. She was granted these powers for one purpose and it was a purpose she had to stay true to. There was a lot she had left to achieve and if she was to do it she would need more power. She would have to get stronger.

Nina's attention was immediately drawn by a loud creak. The sound of the warehouse door cracking and bending rippled throughout the air. Nina turned to see that the door was encasing itself in a sheet of ice before shattering to pieces. The door crumbled to dust to reveal Flora and Krysta standing in the doorway. Flora’s eyes immediately went wild as she laid them upon Nina. Rage consumed her and she began to concentrate on her power for the first time. Nina stared indifferently as she watched Flora begin to channel her energy. In seconds Flora created a massive field of rose petals surrounding her. The petals glided around her with grace. Many of them flowed towards her back and began to settle in place, forming the shape of wings. Flora had taken on the semblance of an angel of Nature.

"You!" Flora growled as she pointed an accusing finger at Nina.

Nina sighed and stood up from the floor and watched Flora prepare to attack.

"You’re going to pay for what you did!" Flora screamed out.

A barrage of petals propelled itself towards Nina. Many of the petals missed their mark and found themselves burrowing into shipping containers. Others found themselves hurtling towards Nina with perfect precision. Within a split second, Nina raised a barrier of flame that shattered the petals like glass. Pink fractals of light scattered throughout the warehouse, dancing with Nina's embers. Nina launched a trio of fireballs with one swipe of her hand. Within seconds the three fireballs froze from a blast of ice. They collapsed to the ground and shattered as Krysta dashed in wielding a sword and shield, both made of ice.

"Don’t you dare hurt Flora!"

Krysta ran towards Nina with blinding speed. With one swift motion, her sword of ice glided towards Nina’s throat. A loud clash of metal rang throughout the warehouse. Krysta watched in surprise as her blade crashed down onto the cold steel frame of an M16 rifle. Krysta clenched her teeth in anger as she leapt back from Reaver. Reaver returned the rifle to its Mind Gate and replaced it with a black revolver. The long barrel of Reaver’s pistol stared down at Krysta as Reaver spoke to his enemy.

"I will be your opponent," Reaver said.

Krysta nodded and looked at Flora as she backed up into Krysta. Flora glared at Nina with her own flames consuming her gaze. Krysta and Flora broke their stance without warning and dashed at their foes. Flora threw a flurry of petals towards Nina, who struggled to defend. Several of Flora’s projectiles found their way into Nina’s soft flesh and cut deep into it. Krysta blocked Reaver’s hail of gunfire with her shield and rushed at him. Once she drew close enough she slashed at him. Krysta's blade flew towards her foe, only for the body of a rifle to intercept the strike. Reaver countered Krysta's charge and blasted her into Flora with shotgun fire. Krysta’s numbed body knocked Flora to the ground. Krysta moved fast and raised a wall of ice in front of her as Reaver opened fire. Bullets and shotgun pellets embedded themselves in the thick ice wall. Every shot failed to penetrate the ice in a feeble attempt to taste flesh. Nina growled in frustration and set the wall ablaze. When the ice melted into a massive puddle Nina saw what had been lying behind it. Krysta grinned as several large spires of ice floated around her in mid-air. Krysta pointed her fleet of spires straight at Nina. The spires launched of their own volition like missiles. Nina ran towards the hurtling projectiles with her hands burning white. She burned down two of the spires with ease as she slid underneath them. Reaver opened up a flood of Mind Gates and provided covering fire for Nina. Flora reacted just as quick and fired off a barrage of petals to meet Reaver’s bullets head on. Each projectile collided with one another violently between Krysta and Nina’s battle. Nina finally drew closer to Krysta only for a frigid shield to bash her face in. Krysta took the opportunity to slice into Nina a few times. This got Reaver’s attention as he dove onto Nina to prevent any further damage. Krysta cut into Reaver's arm as his body leapt in front of her strike. Within seconds the wound was frostbitten by Krysta’s blade. Reaver descended to the ground with Nina in tow and fired a few rounds from a hastily summoned revolver. Flora fired two petals to intercept the bullets in seconds. Reaver stood up from the ground and stared down the other two Demons.

"It seems yet another one of us misguided by vengeance," Reaver said in a soft tone.

Flora clenched her fists tight with rage. With a flick of her wrists, chains of her steel like flower petals wrapped themselves around her arms. Flora charged towards Reaver and lashed her chains at him in a deadly dance. Her body flipped and twirled with grace and poise as her arms swung out and dragged the chains towards her foe. Reaver did his best to dodge and weave through Flora’s fatal elegance. Krysta ran up from behind Reaver to try and keep him on his toes. Reaver dodged as many strikes as he could while still receiving a few cuts across his body. Reaver finally leapt up above the two women and summoned forth several Mind Gates. Gun barrels emerged from the Gates and aimed down upon Reaver’s foes. Krysta jumped in front of Flora as the bullets came raining down. Several hot slugs of lead embedded themselves into Krysta’s back as she threw up a barrier of ice. Krysta leaned against her own barrier as blood began to paint it red. Flora crouched in front of her friend and looked at her with worry.

"Can you still stand?"

Krysta nodded and looked up at Flora with a gentle smile.

"It’s gonna take a lot more than that to kill us."

The encasing barrier melted into the ground adding to the frigid puddle beneath the Demons’ feet. Krysta got back on her feet and forged an ice shield from the water in the atmosphere. Krysta defended herself from Reaver’s hail of gunfire, only to feel her bulwark begin to heat up. Krysta dashed behind cover as her defense fell to the ground in a melted heap. Had Nina melted her shield? Krysta peered out from her cover as Flora engaged Reaver. Nina was nowhere to be found, she must have fled while Reaver distracted the two of them. Krysta clenched her fists tight and slammed them against the shipping crate that hid her.

"That bastard!"

Flora did her best to keep Reaver locked in combat with her. Hot lead rained down on her as Reaver continued his relentless barrage. Her petals shattered into pink fractals with every bullet that collided with them. Flora created a barrier of petals to hold back to assault and readied herself. Once the barrier shattered she unleashed a storm of petals as she dashed forward. Flora propelled herself ahead with her rose wings. She lashed her chains out at Reaver and caught him in her grasp. She reeled him in and pierced him with an unfathomable amount of razor-sharp rose petals. Flora unraveled Reaver from her chains, exposing Reaver's cut up body. Reaver stumbled from his prison as blood dripped from his shallow wounds. Red iron soaked through Reaver’s clothes and mixed in with the sweat coating his body in a sheen. Reaver was breathing heavy as he looked at Flora. She seemed confident, but her attacks were sloppy. None of her strikes had cut Reaver’s body deep. Reaver spat out a wad of his own blood onto the wet floor as his wounds healed.

"To hell with this."

Reaver summoned a pistol to his hand with instantaneous speed. He pointed the barrel straight at Flora who continued to stand her ground. She was misled. As Flora watched Reaver aim his gun at her, she saw Reaver's hand change targets without hesitation. Reaver sent several rounds penetrating into Krysta’s chest. A full six shots fired from Reaver's revolver. Reaver emptied his gun into Flora's closest friend. Flora’s eyes widened in horror as she watched blood escape the burrowing bullet holes. Flora rushed to Krysta as the bullets dug their way to Krysta’s ribs and heart.

"Krysta!"

Flora ran up to her friend and held her up in her arms. Krysta stared blankly into Flora’s eyes as blood poured down along Flora’s wrists. Fauna’s voice rang out in Flora’s head as she held Krysta close to her chest.

"She is only unconscious! Get her out of here!"

Flora picked up Krysta’s limp body and stared upon Reaver with sorrow and malice filling her eyes. Reaver nodded to her and recalled his Mind Gates. He still did not wish to kill anyone. He only promised to protect Nina. If he were to attack Flora in this state, he would view it as dishonorable. He let her go without a fuss.

*****​

Flora walked out of the warehouse with Krysta bleeding onto her shirt and exposed midriff. A trail of scarlet trickled and splattered on the pavement behind Flora. Dried blood clung to the skin of Flora's stomach as fresh coats of warm life ran down her body like rain. Flora kept walking blind. One thought consumed her damaged mind as she carried Krysta through the ruinous Slums of Evo City. She had to get Krysta out. Guilt began to wash over Flora like a tidal wave. She began to realize that she was the reason Krysta suffered such terrible wounds. The soft sound of metal hitting stone echoed in Flora's ears as Krysta's regeneration began. Krysta's healing pushed the bullets from their holes as new flesh formed in their place. Tears trickled from Flora’s eyes as she held the unconscious body of her best friend tight in her arms. She pressed Krysta's head into her soft, bloodstained chest as she wept. How could she have been so selfish? She let Krysta get involved in this desperate struggle for revenge. She dragged someone she cared about into a conflict that had little to do with her, let alone had any true purpose. Flora’s only motive was revenge and redemption. But what would be redeemed if Nina died? What would be corrected? Would Flora’s life return to normal?

Flora made her way into an abandoned apartment and laid Krysta’s body on a dusty old couch. She knelt down in front of her comatose friend and rested her head on Krysta’s bloody chest. Krysta’s regenerated flesh had already removed the bullets. But it would still take quite a lot of time for her to wake up again.

Even if she had survived the fight against Reaver, Guilt was there waiting to claim Flora for his own. Guilt had dragged his long bony fingers along the contours of Flora’s face. He wrapped his fragile old hands around her throat. Guilt was choking at Flora now and she couldn’t help but cry into the red-tinted chest of her friend. Guilt had coaxed tears from a faerie.

*****​

Terra and I had searched the Slums for hours. We both knew that Nina was hiding out in the forgotten district. If Flora was looking for her than this was the place she would be. Terra looked around at the streets scarred by the lingering whispers of the dead. The wind howled through the ruined roads of the Slums as the two of us wandered through its empty depths. I thought I would have been used to the place after my first trip to the empty Industrial District. But even during the second visit, the silent cries of the dead still drove me to sorrow. As I wandered through what was once a thriving Industrial District, I could hear the voices of ghosts.

"Still not used to the place huh?" asked Terra as we walked.

"Not at all… This place is so macabre," I replied.

"That’s a fancy word to use, but you’re right. This place still gives me the creeps."

Only a few more minutes of walking brought us to a fresh trail of blood. Wet crimson carved its path through the overgrown pavement. Terra motioned me forward towards the moist scarlet trail and pointed in the direction it was heading.

"Assuming that this blood belongs to Flora, she more than likely lost a fight with Nina. She must have retreated from the shipyards," said Terra.

Terra and I looked around and followed the trail of blood with our eyes. It had crept into the ruins of a small apartment. The two of us approached the building with caution. Terra peered into the darkness of the ruin. Through the shadows, Terra saw locks of pink hair draping down a feminine back and onto a blood soaked floor. Sobs resonated around the torn apart shelter the girl had occupied. Terra looked at me and nodded as the sobbing grew closer.

"It’s her." Terra spoke in a whisper."

I nodded and approached Flora in silence as she wept over an assumed dead body. I took careful steps as I crept towards Flora hoping not to startle her. Despite such stealthy efforts, my feet kicked away rubble with every step. Flora immediately turned and shot a glare at me with her amethyst eyes. Her whole torso draped itself in a darkened shade of scarlet. Within seconds she growled at me and unleashed a surge of projectiles upon me. I reacted without even thinking and absorbed every petal with my dark matter.

"Flora calm down it’s just us!" Terra shouted."

"Exactly…," Flora muttered before clenching her fists.

"You act is if I can trust anyone of you, monsters!" Flora continued, raising her voice to a frantic shout. A sickening grin stretched across Flora’s face. Guilt and Grief strangled her and raped her mind with their tormenting thoughts. At that exact moment, Flora's mind broke. Everything that had happened to her pushed her closer and closer to snapping in half. Abraxas had come for this woman. But in this instance, she had created the egg herself. The egg was her own world, the world she crafted to suit her interests. Did Abraxas bring her salvation or was this a cruel joke to punish the ignorance she harbored?

I stared into eyes of violet with a perplexed fixation as Flora threw a barrage of petals towards me and Terra. Terra immediately dove at me and pushed me away from the blast.

"Stay focused Hev!" Terra shouted as she slammed her fist into the ground and launched Flora into the air on a pillar of stone. The massive column surged upward through the roof of the desolate building. Flora fought with all her strength to regain control but the force was too great for her to repel. Terra stood back up on her feet and stomped her foot into the ground causing magma to shoot up the pillar. Flora screamed as magma flared up in front of her and burned her flesh. Flora cried out in terrible pain as the magma threw her off the stone pillar and she hurtled towards the ground.

"Flora!"

Another female voice rang out as Terra and I saw a blonde haired girl dash up to catch Flora as she descended. It was Krysta, the Demon of Frostbite. Terra let loose a fierce battle cry as she bolted towards Krysta. Krysta brought Flora to the ground just in time to block Terra’s rock entombed fists. She pushed Terra back and shouted to her before she could retaliate.

"Why are you attacking us!?"

Terra froze in place as I approached her from behind. Terra sighed to herself before shattering the armor of stone encasing her fists. She glared at Krysta as she sheltered the broken Flora.

"Lockhart wants both of you back at the Cocoon. Flora is not strong enough to take on Nina and you and I both know that! What were you thinking Krysta!?" Terra growled.

"I’m her only friend! What choice did I have!?" Krysta shouted back.

Just as Krysta began to explain herself I watched her body suddenly collapse. Flora followed suit as her body hit the ground in a comatose state. I watched in shock as I turned to see a whole squad of heavily armed men grouped up in tight formation. They all stood at the entrance to Flora’s temporary shanty with their weapons ready. They were soldiers through and through. They wielded tranquilizer rifles and wore a bizarre kind of armor. It was black and glossy and reminded me a bit of a knight, with a more futuristic touch. I could see an emblem imprinted upon their shoulder pad. The emblem was a white circle surrounded by a red ring. A sword overlapped the circle vertically. Written proudly in the red ring were the words "EXCALIBUR PROGRAM." Terra nodded to one of the soldiers as the others moved into collect the unconscious Demons.

Questions floated about in my head as I watched the soldiers collect Flora and Krysta. One thing was clear at this point and it shone within the center of a vortex of inquiries. I had become a soldier.

"Who are they?" I asked Terra.

"Excaliburs. Lockhart's militia."

"Why would Lockhart need a militia?"

Terra‘s expression soured as she stared into my eyes. She sighed as she looked back at the Excaliburs apprehending Flora and Krysta. Finally, she glared back at me and uttered a single response.

"They keep Lockhart’s children in line."

 

Chapter 13: The Folly of Vengeance​

A steady beeping was the sound Flora awoke to as she sat up in her bed. She found herself within the Medical Ward of the Cocoon. Her eyes scanned the room in a haze as she got a feel for her surroundings. A glossy alabaster room greeted her with crisp blandness. Trays of sterile medical instruments littered the place. Several doctors monitored Flora’s vitals with care as they moved about the hospital wing. Flora looked to the right then and saw that most of the beds were empty. Well, most of them. She finally dragged her eyes upon the bed to her left and saw Krysta underneath the sheets. Flora’s expression turned sour as she looked away from the dreadful sight. She buried her face in her sweating palms as grim reality took hold.

"I see you're finally awake," said a familiar voice to the wounded maiden.

Flora looked up from her tear soaked, sweat slick palms to see the face of Lockhart smiling gently upon her.

"Lockhart…," Flora muttered.

"How are you feeling?"

"Just a little nauseous…"

Lockhart nodded and took a seat next to Flora’s hospital bed.

"Just a side effect from the tranquilizer. Your wounds from the fight with Nina have already healed. You’re going to be just fine and should be out of Medical in a few hours."

Flora nodded in understanding and looked down at her hands. She was beginning to realize all the things she had done. She had made mistakes and she was unsure if she would even be able to correct them. These were mistakes she would have to live with for the rest of her life. That thought alone was enough to make Flora want to crack. Her fingers clutched the sheets tight and pulled them closer to her chest. Lockhart placed his hand on Flora’s back and rubbed it in comforting circles.

"I’m sorry I didn’t come to you sooner…," Flora said through sorrowful quivers.

"It’s fine. You were confused. It’s been a rough few days, though I will tell you this. You are not the first Demon to go after Nina as of late."

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember when Nina attacked the Center City Street Mall?"

Flora nodded in silence as to not interrupt Lockhart’s exposition.

"There was only one survivor. The poor boy lost his father in the attack. Ever since he became a Demon he had been set on using his powers to end Nina’s rampage for good. He wanted to kill her for the same reason as you. But something happened out there, he saw something that made him have a change of heart. Now he seeks answers to his questions as opposed to simple revenge."

"What are you saying?" asked Flora as she looked at Lockhart.

"I’m saying that you should talk to him."

Lockhart left Flora with that simple suggestion. One simple sentence prompting the potential connection of individuals. Flora wasn’t sure where her place was in life, and maybe this boy had the answers she so desperately sought. The boy went through the same things she had. Nina took from both of them the very center of their existences. Maybe he could help her decide what path to walk.

After a few hours, the doctors released Flora from the Medical Ward. She wandered the halls of the Cocoon wrapped in a clean pair of clothes. Confusion wrapped itself around Flora’s perception as she took aimless steps through the blank corridors. Flora had forgotten what the inside of the Cocoon looked like. For the longest time, she had avoided that place. She never wanted to return. All she wanted was to be a benefit to humanity and a progression of Nature. But she wasn’t about to give up the simple pleasures of life to become the thing she envisioned.

*****​

Flora wandered through the long winding corridors of the Cocoon for a few hours. She had no goal or destination. She merely let her own aimlessness guide her through those plastic looking halls. In her wandering, she found herself facing a window overlooking a white room. As Flora pressed her forehead against the cold glass she watched two figures in the room. The two silhouettes were fighting each other. They moved with speed and power unparalleled. Flora's memory was fuzzy from being unconscious for so long, but she had a feeling she knew the figures. She continued to sift through her memory banks as she watched the fight unfold. Then it hit her like her worst hangover. Those were the Demons that retrieved her from the Slums. Terra, and some boy she never knew. Perhaps this was the boy Lockhart mentioned. There was only one way to find out.

*****​

Ever since the battle in the Slums, I had been training with Terra. I was still a novice when it came to using my powers. I had a long road ahead of me if I wanted to get strong enough to face Nina once again. Terra was one hell of an opponent to go up against. Her control over the earth made her attacks large and powerful. She was a full-on brawler. If I wanted to survive I would have to keep her at a distance and rely on my agility.

I fired a barrage of light beams at Terra to keep her pinned down. Terra had an easy way to counter my assault. A swift stomp from Terra’s foot raised a slab of rock from the beneath the floor. Terra took cover behind the slab and crouched down with her hand touching the floor. As I continued to suppress Terra with a constant barrage of beams, a spire of rock poked out from the ground. The spire shot passed me and glanced my face. I immediately leaped back and re-positioned. It was too late. The distraction gave Terra all the time she needed to close the gap. I dodged her fist as it curved towards my head only to feel another stone clad fist collide with my stomach. I lurched forward on Terra’s colliding arm as I gasped for air. Terra stepped back and threw a third punch right into my skull sending me flying towards the wall. I managed to recover from the blow and slid across the ground on my feet.

Despite having distance, I still was at a disadvantage. Not only did Terra have immense strength, she had the speed to back it up. She could summon stone pillars from beneath her feet to propel her forward. I had to keep my eyes open. Luckily, Hell could do that for me.

"Hell. Watch her movements and tell me the moment she is about to jump," I said under my breath.

"Got it;" Hell responded.

A still silence draped over Terra and me as we braced ourselves. I charged up light matter in my hands as I anticipated Terra’s dash. I couldn’t just suppress her. She was too quick. If I wanted to be an actual threat to her I had to know where she was going to be a second ahead of time and use well-placed shots. I would have to make sure she knew I could hit her whenever I want.

"Heaven! Now!" shouted Hell from within my mind.

I reacted fast and fired a beam at Terra just as she was about to dash towards me. The beam grazed her shoulder causing her to cancel her movement. Terra immediately brought up a barrier only for me to lay down suppressing fire. While I kept her pinned I summoned my dark blade and cut my way into negative space. I disappeared from Terra’s senses.

Terra didn’t need to see me know where I was. She could focus in on the vibrations in the ground made by my footsteps to track my movements. If her opponent was in the air, her Second Personality could keep tabs on their position. But if I escaped in between space, there was no conceivable way to track me. I would erase my existence, but only temporarily. I reappeared behind Terra’s cover and aimed my hand down at her head. A concentrated bolt of light matter charged in my palm as I prepared the victory blow.

"Checkmate," I muttered.

"You’re too confident," Terra said with a grin.

I watched in shock as a large bronze colored Mind Gate appeared behind Terra. From within the Gate, Terra unleashed a large, jagged, stone war hammer.

"You may be overly confident Heaven. But I don't bring out Earthshaker for any opponent," Terra declared.

I dashed towards Terra to overwhelm her. She reacted faster than me and slammed the head of Earthshaker into the floor. Within a split second, a surge of rock and magma launched me into the air. I found myself staring at the ceiling as my body flew towards it. It only took seconds for gravity to drag me head first towards the ground below. I regained control over my body and flipped over onto my feet as I landed. I stared down Terra as she looked through me with a confused look.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Flora…"

I turned around to see Flora standing at the door of the White Room. She looked just as broken and defeated as she did when we first found her. She was in a sorry state, to say the least. Her drooping eyes stared into mine as she lifted her weary head.

"Are you Heaven?"

I nodded at Flora’s inquiry and turned to face Terra. Terra sighed to herself and smiled at me before patting me on the shoulder.

"You did well today. Why don’t you take care of her for now? We can test your endurance against Earthshaker tomorrow," said Terra.

Terra flashed me a friendly smile as she left the White Room. The empty blank box of ivory was now only occupied by myself and Flora. Flora was a beautiful woman, to say the least, but her expression told a sad story. I hoped this sad story would end after we talked. She came to me for help even though I wasn’t sure what kind of help I’d be.

We sat on the glossy metal floor of the White Room and conversed. Flora sought guidance from me, another Demon blinded by vengeance. She was so misguided by her own lust for retribution that she nearly pushed her only friend away. The one Demon Flora cared about was growing distant. While I myself was still wrestling with my own choices, I felt like I could be of some use to Flora yet.

*****​

Flora hated our kind, she hated what she had become. She didn’t understand why she had to become a monster to benefit mankind. Flora believed the Demons were created just for slaughter. The Director saw us as the worst possible form of human evolution. To him, we were a violent and combative group of people. It was hard for Flora to accept it. In her mind, it couldn't be true. Ever since she was created, there was always a single question on her mind.

"Were we all created just to die?"

Silence seemed to pervade the room. I tried my best to think of something to say, something to pierce the quiet. Sadly, I couldn't think of anything insightful.

"I’m sorry about what happened to the Gardens," I said with a comforting voice.

Flora looked at me with a bit of a confused yet surprised expression. She wasn’t expecting to hear something like that from me. But, it did not detract from her modesty.

"It’s not your fault… It’s in the past, right? It doesn’t matter anymore."

"It matters if you are still planning on going after Nina."

"I don’t know anymore… She is too strong for me to fight on my own. What about you, didn’t she kill your father?"

"Yeah… Yeah, she did."

I looked down to the floor as memories of my father’s body crumbling to ashes played in my mind. It only took seconds for the memories to fade into those from the battle with CAPRA. I began to speak once more, but with a somber voice.

"But, ever since that battle against CAPRA, I’ve started to think. I saw Nina do things that I didn’t expect her to. She put the lives of her allies above herself. She showed genuine concern and almost kindness towards those who had sided with her. She endured unbearable pain so that her friends could escape. In all my life I have never heard I person cry out more honest and guttural screams."

"Nina did all that? Are you sure you weren’t hallucinating?" Flora asked.

"Yeah. I’m still having trouble believing it myself. But I realize now, up until then I only saw the person I wanted to see. The monster who murdered my father, but now things are different. I don’t think I can bring myself to kill a woman who can still put others before herself."

"Then what are you going to do now?"

"I am going to fight for the truth. There are so many things that have happened since I became a Demon that I do not understand. There are too many unanswered questions."

"What if you don’t like the answers you get? What if you have to kill her in the end?"

"I don’t know… After a while, I began to see the monster I had become after I was reborn. I saw that the choices I made had blinded me. I shoved aside everything just to pursue vengeance. I realized that I can’t change what choices I have already made. I have to embrace what I am now and work towards the future."

Flora looked down at her pale hands and the faded reflection of her face in the floor.

"We’re Demons, bio-weapons created from human bodies. Do you truly think we can still be the people we once were and still accept our powers? Or are we just monsters in a shell?"

"I wish I had an answer. But I like to believe that deep within me, the memories of the child I once was are sleeping soundly. I came so close to throwing away everything that led me today. But now I understand how precious those memories are."

"You’re a lucky one. You still have your life ahead of you," Flora muttered.

"Or you could say it was a shame my life was taken away so soon," I replied

"I guess our lives aren’t that much different."

"Yeah… I guess you’re right."

It never occurred to me just how many other people Nina’s rampage affected. I never once thought of the souls lost to her flames. I was only ever concerned with myself. Not once did I ever even look passed my own suffering. I was even blind to my own father’s soul. My own choices led me to meet the girl named Flora. Because of our connection to Nina, our paths intersected. I had a feeling she wouldn’t be the first person to be connected to the hell-spawn that was Nina. I felt it deep within me that the worst was yet to come.

 

Chapter 14: A God Awakens​

The following day arrived faster than I could have imagined. Training resumed as scheduled. The moment I was awake, a scientist took me straight to the White Room. Without a minute to breathe Terra threw me into an intense battle against her. The more we sparred, the more I grew accustomed to how Terra fights. I was beginning to adapt to her fighting style.

Terra dashed towards me and kept the pressure on with a flurry of punches. Her strikes were up close and personal. She didn’t want to rely on Earthshaker too soon. She was confident she could knock me out before she would have to resort to using the Mind Gate. But was she just being cocky, or was she unable to completely control her Gate?

I managed to avoid Terra’s strikes with ease. I felt like I was able to see every one of Terra’s punches seconds before they even came at me. I was seeing several seconds ahead. Terra never let up. Every strike was deliberate and calculated. She knew I had gotten accustomed to her attacks. She would try to fake me out. I finally saw an opening in her strikes and took it. I ran my light blade upon Terra only for her stone gauntlets to block my strikes. I countered with my dark blade. It seemed like I wasn't going to get any with swords alone. Terra already knew my techniques and telegraphs, so I had to improvise.

Light and dark gauntlets enveloped my hands in place of where my blades were once gripped. I immediately dashed towards Terra with my gauntlets ready. A massive explosion of sound echoed throughout the room as our fists collided. I leapt away and landed on my feet. Terra pursued me as I raised my guard. Terra threw two punches prompting me to dodge then riposte. I kicked Terra in her stomach pushing her back. Terra ran at me once more and threw a punch to my face. I leaned out of the way of the strike only to feel a stone plated arm crash into my hip. I tried to recompose myself only to feel Terra throw a jab at my jaw. The third punch came straight for my nose. I blocked the strike and kicked at Terra’s shin. Terra fell off balance and I drove my knee into her face. Terra grunted and stumbled backward. She used her hands to flip onto her feet and ready herself as I went on the offensive. I dashed at Terra and threw several consecutive punches hoping to catch Terra off guard. Terra blocked my strikes with ease and punched me in my gut sending me flying into the wall behind me. Terra smashed her foot into the ground as she unleashed a raging battle cry. Rocks and rubble surged up from the ground as a trail of destruction moved towards me with great speed. I reacted by pure instinct and dodged the eruption of stone and magma. I turned my head to see where Terra positioned herself after recovering. My gaze met with the head of an earthen hammer. My head was knocked back and I hit the wall once more. I could hear my bones breaking apart then snapping back together again shortly after. I got back onto my feet and prepared myself as Terra tightened her grip on Earthshaker. Terra dashed towards me and brought her hammer down onto the ground beneath my feet. The ground erupted in a violent explosion that sent me flying. I recovered from my stun and fired several light beams down on Terra’s position. Terra slammed her fist into the ground causing large rocks to pierce from beneath the ground and shield her. The beams shattered into particles on impact with Terra’s cover as I landed on top of the stone shield. My fist collided with the rocky tomb and shattered it to pieces with a single strike. Terra thrust her hammer up at me with immense force. I dodged the strike and brought my light gauntlet down onto Terra. Terra dodged out of the way and swung Earthshaker towards my nimble body. She was going to catch me off guard somehow. She knew that her victory depended on me making a mistake. I had to be completely perfect.

The fight dragged on for hours. Terra and I exchanged blows back and forth with little results. Though I think Terra and I both realized that I was improving. Mind Zero was proving itself to be a powerful state of mind. I was able to predict movements with accuracy and plan accordingly. I was fighting with an analytical mind. I would even shut out the voice of Hell if needed. I was completely undistracted and calm. My gaze dulled and my expression was bland. I let simple instinct and logic guide my movements. This was how I was taught to fight.

*****​

Memories of my old life came back to me. I recalled the days I spent with my father training in martial arts. My father had a sparring room in our home. It was a place that he and I frequented. He always talked about making me strong. He taught me how to fight when I was just a little boy. He taught me how to defend myself and survive as well as how to defend others.

I could remember the discussions we had like I was watching a film.

"Why do people fight?" I would always ask him.

My father could never give me a straight answer. It wasn't until years later that I realized there is no straight answer.

"That’s a very interesting question kiddo," my father would say with a smile.

The two of us would be sitting down on the sparring mat. Every time I asked a question like that my father always returned it back to me.

"Well, why do you think people fight, son?"

"Because some people are mean?" I would ask with the thoughts of an innocent mind imprinted on my voice.

"Then if there are mean people, what makes them want to be mean?"

"I don’t know. Do you know the answer dad?"

My father would always smile when he had the opportunity to explain his own beliefs to me. They were ideas he wanted me to adopt, and I couldn’t blame him for that. His ideas were beautiful.

"I think people fight because people have to be mean sometimes. But those mean people aren’t born mean. To me, everyone has the ability to hurt someone. Everyone is born with an ability that allows them to do things that a lot of other people would say are bad. Some might even say some things are evil. But just because we are able to do things that are bad doesn’t mean we are bad people."

I would always look at my father with a bit of a confused look, despite how he would phrase things. When I was younger he always found it hard to explain his philosophy and he always had to use childish words. It wasn’t till I was halfway through high school that the question was brought up again.

"Do you remember when you asked me why people fight?" he asked.

"Kind of. I was, like, ten years old wasn’t I?"

"You asked me because you wanted to know why I taught you to fight. You didn’t understand what I said at the time. But I think now I can explain myself without having to worry about you misunderstanding."

I stayed silent and nodded to my father. My father read the signal and continued his speech.

"For a long time now, there has been a debate regarding the nature of good and evil. People are unsure whether evil is something we are born with or if it is something learned. What do you think?"

"It has to be learned. How can an infant, the symbol of innocence know what evil is? If you have only been alive for a few seconds I doubt you would able to know how to kill someone."

"Interesting hypothesis. What if I told you I agree with you, but I also disagree?"

"I’d ask you to explain."

My father seemed to smile at that moment. He really did enjoy explaining to me his beliefs.

"I believe you are correct. I believe that evil is learned. For instance, what if a child watches their parent kill someone before their eyes? If the child is easily influenced, the child might think that there is nothing wrong with killing a person. However, I do believe there is more to it than just simple mimicry. I also believe that every human is capable of committing evil, despite innocence. Everyone has the capacity to do evil in the same way they can do good. It all boils down to choice in the end."

It didn't take long for me to begin to piece it all together.

"Because humans have free will they have the capacity to choose the path considered evil. But how can someone choose evil without knowing what evil is?" I asked.

"It has happened before. Many people have committed evil acts because evil itself wore a mask. Morality isn’t as black and white as many believe. Many people can be manipulated into doing the wrong thing simply by telling them it is okay to do so. Morality itself is something humans dreamt up," my father answered.

"But don’t you think there is some merit to morality? Don’t you think it is good that we look down upon acts like rape and murder?"

My father nodded and smiled. He took a small breath before delivering some of his closest beliefs.

"I do. Sometimes we need complex systems like morality to help govern us. Morality is a system that can’t be controlled by humans. Over time what started out as simple laws became doctrines humans accepted at birth. Sure, laws change over time, but many remain constant. Those laws have become part of Nature herself and her laws are absolute. There is no denying Nature’s dominance."

"So then why do people fight?"

"Choice, my son. Everyone is born into this world with the ability to dream. Ambition is a powerful thing and it has driven humanity through history. But when ambition is halted, or ambitions clash with each other, violence erupts."

"So people fight simply because they want to protect their dreams," I concluded

"Yes. My dream was to have a family. I fought with my life on the line to achieve that dream and now I have a beautiful son. Though your birth cost the life of your mother, you still carry every ounce of courage she had. I’m sure someday you will have a dream worth fighting for."

A dream worth fighting for. Those words, at the time, made my dream sound like something grand. But dreams can be small, they don’t have to be larger than life. My ambition was to get to the truth, to understand who I was, what the Demon Project was, and to learn more about Nina. It was a small ambition I had, but it was an ambition worth fighting for.

*****​

Terra and I stood apart from one another. We both knew this battle wasn’t going to go anywhere. I looked at Terra with an almost cocky grimace.

"This is almost too easy," I said with confidence.

Terra grinned with a similar amount of tenacity as my own.

"Think you can handle me going all out?" asked Terra.

"I’ll manage."

Terra’s face morphed into a blood-thirsty grimace. She stood her ground in a powerful stance as she closed her eyes in meditation. Gusts of wind began to pick up as I felt Terra absorb the energy of the room into her being. I watched as she muttered a single sentence to herself like an incantation.

"Time for you to wake up… Astraea."

I watched as Terra’s eyes lost all color and transformed into soulless white orbs. Hell began to chuckle to himself from within my conscience. Something about Terra’s power amused him.

"So that’s where Astraea has been hiding," Hell said to himself.

"Astraea?" I asked in return.

"Terra’s Second Personality. Astraea, the woman who believed she was a god."

I stood my ground as I watched Terra’s body move in ways so unlike her. The hulking posture Terra wore was gone and replaced by a confident and regal demeanor. She grinned with malice as she laid eyes on me.

"Finally… I am free!" Astraea screamed.

The voice of a goddess ripped through space and made the ground quake before her. Rocks shot up from the ground and began to float in place. Veins of magma coursed through the floating stones and pulsated with life. Astraea had manipulated the gravity of these geological shards. I had no idea how to face something so strong. Astraea flashed her grin once more and aimed her palm at me. A beam of scalding magma hurtled towards me at blinding speed. I dodged out of the way only for Astraea to guide the beam towards me. I took cover by a piece of rubble as the beam chased after me. I was safe for only a few seconds as magma surged through my cover and forced the rock to explode. The blast sent me flying back with shards of hot stone jutting from my body. I glared towards Astraea as she held total dominion over the battlefield. Her control was absolute and I would have to fight even harder to relinquish it.

Up until that point, I had placed myself upon a high pedestal. If I wanted to remain atop the pedestal I would have to climb to meet a god head on. I had gotten stronger and smarter from training with Terra. But her Second Personality was in a completely different league. While my pedestal sat within the clouds, Astraea’s had long since pierced the heavens.

I stood back up on my feet. Shards of rock began to slide out from my regenerating body as blood gathered in a crimson pool beneath me. I shot a glare at Astraea as a newfound determination burned within me. I thought that if I couldn’t win against her then I couldn't win against Nina. I had to defeat Astraea.

I focused all my strength on clearing my mind and channeling my strength. I knew that Astraea was more controlling than Terra. Astraea liked to fight at a distance, but closing the gap would be difficult. One wrong move was all it took to give her the upper hand. Once I was ready I charged forward at the goddess. I gripped my swords tight in my hands as I let out a roaring cry of war. Astraea smiled at me as I rushed forward. Columns of magma shot up in front of my path. I dodged out of the way as they emerged and continued on my course. Astraea sent a barrage of large stones towards me. Each stone detonated with immense energy on impact forcing me to stop my advance. Pyroclastic clouds gathered in the air. Dust and rubble littered the space around me. When everything settled, Astraea saw a large black sphere ahead of her. It dissipated and revealed my unscathed body still breathing. I stared at Astraea with a fearsome glint sparkling in my unwavering gaze. I gripped my swords tighter than ever as I prepared to charge once more. I was going to have to rely on my dark matter in this fight. Controlling the environment was half the battle. If I could control the battlefield and keep Astraea from being able to build a defense I would have a shot. I recalled my light blade and began to channel dark matter within my palm.

"You got an idea?" Hell asked with intrigue.

"Yeah. I'll erase her defenses faster than she can build them. This is now a battle of attrition," I replied.

I planned to put a theory to the test. If I could discharge light matter into a beam, could I do the same with dark matter? A sphere of black vibrated in my palm rapidly as energy built up. When the energy became too great, I raised my palm and discharged the matter. I felt a sense of achievement as a barrage of dark beams darted towards Astraea. Astraea put up a barrier of stone to block my projectiles only for them to blaze passed her. Explosions fired off behind her as she turned to see her arsenal destroyed. I made sure to only erase a small fraction of the rocks to allow them to detonate. If I could detonate a few mines in key locations, the surrounding mines would explode in a chain reaction. I knew that objects couldn't be completely erased if I didn't focus on them. Destroying them meant I wouldn't have to concentrate on keeping the stones erased. I watched as Astraea’s confidence turned into a blind rage fueled her superiority complex.

"Insolent bug!"

She gave me a look of pure disgust as she raised a new field of molten rocks. She unleashed a torrent of flaming stone upon me only to watch as I created a barrier of dark matter. I pushed forward as every one of Astraea’s projectiles were sent hurtling into the abyss. Finally, she let up her assault and raised her defenses. I took the opportunity to attack and dashed towards her with my dark blade ready. I honed my blade to cut through and send Astraea's pitiful constructs to the depths. Astraea attempted to overwhelm me with geysers of magma and large stone missiles. Explosions ripped through the area upon Astraea's missiles impacting the ground. I dodged what I could and erased anything that got too close to me, causing the stones to explode away from me. Finally, I was within arm’s reach. Victory was almost mine until a cold feeling overcame my sword arm.

My body grew heavy. Moving my body was a struggle. I felt a sort of numb feeling as I did my best to move. I couldn't go anywhere. I was stuck in place. What happened to me?

"Heaven. Don’t move and whatever you do, don't look down," said Hell with a shaking voice.

The second I heard those words I began to fear the worst. Anxiety and curiosity performed a depraved scene of love within my brain. Curiosity seemed to be the dominant one as it got the better of me and forced my eyes to gaze upon my sword arm.

Blood. Blood and bone greeted my eyes as I laid them upon the wound left by Astraea. My hand had fallen to the ground. My bone severed from the nerves. I looked at myself and saw the countless metal spires poking up from the ground and piercing through my body. I screamed. I screamed louder than I knew I could. Adrenaline was pumping through my body faster than I could think, but the pain was faster. I watched as my bone began to regrow itself. I continued to scream as I felt my arm begin to replace what was taken. My mind was reeling as the pain became the only thing I could think about. This was the same pain I felt before. The same pain I felt when I first met Nina.

"You shouldn’t have let her release me… Even I can’t control my power now~!" Astraea screamed in a blissful overdose of euphoria.

Astraea’s god like attitude was beginning to remind me a lot of her. She had the same attitude Nina did. Nina was the only trigger I needed to help me pull through the metallic hell that imprisoned me. I began to scream out, but this time, it was not in pain. I was screaming in pure rage as I regenerated my arm. With raw determination, I began to force myself through the metal that grounded my body. I pulled my body off the spires of metal as I cut and severed them in a blind fury. I would free myself from that jail. That prison. I was not going to die. I had to make sure I could win this fight and I knew now more than ever that there was only one way to do it.

"Hey, Hell… Want to give it a shot?"

I could feel Hell’s smile. The notion of taking control over my body made his metaphysical hair stand on end. He was overcome with pleasure at the thought of being able to finally use my body. But he enjoyed the idea of settling business with Astraea even more. Within seconds I felt my own consciousness get pulled into the back of my own mind as Hell seized control. I felt my own consciousness get sucked into itself. I found myself within the confines of my own mind once more. I was sat upon the Black Throne watching the screens floating by. Each screen depicted the sight through my own eyes. Hell was staring down Astraea as an air of familiarity loomed over the two.

"Remember me, darling?" Hell asked the god-like woman.

"How could I forget such a shit-eating grin," Astraea responded.

Hell’s "shit-eating grin" only grew wider as he summoned his swords to his hands.

"How fitting a goddess finds herself in the body of someone who controls the earth."

"It’s less of a coincidence than you think. My compatibility score is simply based on who I like. She was the only one who I grew fond of. Her power is an added bonus."

"Nice to know you finally found someone worthy of your presence. But from where I am standing, that pedestal of yours is rotting and ready to fall. Allow me to knock it down for you!"

"You can try, fool!"

Hell grinned and dashed faster than I knew my body could move. Within seconds he had Astraea within sword range. Astraea reacted quick and unleashed a blast of raw force that sent Hell back a few feet. He slid on the glossy floor as Astraea followed up her push with a rain of hellfire. Molten rocks hurled themselves at Hell in a frenzy. Hell grinned and opened up a rift with his dark blade and returned fire. The projectiles once thrown at me before were now hurtling towards Astraea’s bombardment. Sparks of magma flew as the rocks collided and smashed into each other. Hell took the opportunity to dash back at Astraea. Astraea pulled up a large rock from the ground and extracted the metal from it. She hurled the rock at Hell only to watch him slice it in half with his light sword. Astraea formed her extracted metal into a slew of razor-sharp blades which she sent after Hell. Hell parried and pushed back the blades as they soared towards him eager to grab a large chunk of his flesh. Astraea smiled with bloodlust as she watched her blades glide around Hell. Her razors searched with eagerness for an opening in Hell's defense. Hell growled in aggravation and swung his dark sword at the floating razors. He erased as many as he could before knocking back the others with his light blade. Hell took his opportunity to recall his sword of light and fired a barrage of light beams. Astraea shielded herself from the barrage with little effort. Light beams blasted apart the rock shield Astraea hid behind until suddenly ceasing. Astraea lowered her barrier only to see Hell had disappeared. Hell had dashed into the air and was descending upon his foe. A quick slash from his light blade was enough to convince the godlike Astraea of Hell’s strength. She lost her smile once she felt the warm sting of Hell’s sword of light.

"Hev… Finish her."

I regained control and kicked Astraea in the stomach knocking her to the floor. I pointed my dark blade at her throat and gave her a threatening glare.

"Move one inch Astraea and I’ll erase you and Terra from existence. Give Terra back her body."

Astraea hesitated, prompting me to give her an example of what dark matter can do. I sliced the ground beside her. Astraea watched as an empty gash remained were my blade struck. Astraea finally gave in after my demonstration and Terra resurfaced. I sighed in relief as I watched her eyes go back to their usual blood red hue. Terra smiled as I helped her up onto her feet.

"Guess I underestimated you. You are pretty strong," Terra said with a smile.

"I used to train under my father. Though fighting with powers like these is different, I can still wield a sword just like he did."

"Then let’s see you test your blade against mine," echoed a familiar voice other than Terra’s.

Terra and I turned to see Genesis walking towards us. His hands were gripping his sheathed Scottish Claymore. His eyes showered in a lust for battle. He longed to feel his steel meet another blade. I glared at Genesis as if to accept his challenge. He gave a slight nod and adjusted his glasses before speaking.

"This time I will be your opponent. Don’t hold anything back."