Max: Wh... what?
What lay before Max was a knight with an empty and vacuous looking face with purple eyes, pale skin, and white brittle hair.
Max: Wh.. what happened to him?
The rest of the team watched him silently.
Max dashed to him to take a closer look. The look in his eyes was completely empty. It was like he had been scared stiff for life.
Max: What''s wrong with his eyes? And his face?
Tiffany: This man... He can''t think for himself, speak for himself, or even live for himself. He''s like a puppet.
Tiffany released him, and he immediately attempted to kill them both by spinning his blade around, but Tiffany knocked him out with a punch.
Max: But...
Tiffany: That''s what we meant by possession.
Max: But... how...
Rose: Max...
Ken: If a normal human put that helmet on, he or she would be turned almost immediately into one of those mindless soldiers.
Max gasped.
Tiffany: Do you get it now? Get out of here while you still can. These guys aren''t just ordinary thugs.
Luke: Tiffany''s right. They know you can''t be turned, so they may just kill you instead. So you should get outta here.
Max fell to his knees.
Max: H.. how are they doing this?
Rose: It''s the crystals. Can you feel it? That aura around it?
Max looked at a crystal on a soldiers armour.
Rose: When you put one on, it starts to take control of you.
Ken: And when that happens, there''s nothing you can do about it.
Max''s breath rate increased.
Rose: Max, are you ok?
Rose ran to him to pat his back.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Luke: It''s alright, Rose. He''ll get over it.
Max took a moment to calm down.
Max: Who... who would do such a thing?
Tiffany: That would be our enemy.
Max: Who is it?
Tiffany: The Wolframs.
Max: The Wolframs?
Tiffany: They''re the ones pulling the strings. And they''re even more ruthless than these knights.
Ken: The information we have on them is pretty low, to be honest, but we can say for sure that there is at least more than one of them.
Luke: And besides that, they''re all insanely powerful. Look, Max, you did a good job, but... you might want to leave. Now!
Rose: Max. It''s ok. It''ll be fine.
Max: No way!
They were all startled by his response.
Max: No freaking way!
Tiffany: What!
Max: There''s no way I''m leaving now!
Ken: Ugh. Should''ve figured.
Tiffany: No, Max. Listen...
Max: No way am I leaving. These guys are horrible! Someone has to stop them!
Tiffany: But...
Max: And I''m immune to the masks'' power, right. That makes me the perfect weapon against them. It could be destiny.
They all shared glanced.
Ken: Well, he does have a point.
Tiffany: What! You can''t be serious.
Rose: But... M... Max...
Max: No. I''m not leaving! I''m gonna help you guys stop them!
They shared glances again.
Max: Come on! I just helped you take on all these knights down. We could be a team.
Luke, Ken, and Rose shared glances once more before smiling to themselves.
Luke: Well, the dude''s got guts. I''ll give him that.
Ken: Yeah. I guess super speed would be a useful ability to add to our ranks. And the ability to manipulate electricity is a bonus as well.
Max: Yeah.
Rose: (blushing) Wait! M... M... Max? In.... In our team?
Tiffany: Hold it.
Tiffany stared at them all angrily for a moment.
Luke: (sighs) She''s right. Look, Max, it''s probably best that you leave for now.
Max: What! But...
Ken: She''s right. There''s too much at stake right now.
Rose: Y... yeah...
Tiffany: (sighs) Max. Your powers would be useful. However, this is not the time to make such reckless decisions based on things such as "destiny." So, you need to leave.
Max: No.
Tiffany: Max...
Max: Then I''ll just prove myself to you guys.
Tiffany: You''ll what!
The shock on all of their faces was visible.
Max''s face remained unperturbed.
Ken: Well, he''s serious.
Luke: Yeah, Tiff. maybe we should give him a chance. You never know. He might surprise us.
Tiffany: (sighs) Fine. You''re in.
Max: Yes!
Max fist pumped in joy.
Rose: Congs, Max!
Max: Thanks...
Tiffany: Just one thing!
Max: Huh.
Tiffany: I''m team leader.
Max: You?
Tiffany: Yes, and my first order is for you to leave this mission to us.
Max: What!
Tiffany: You can join us on another one.
Max: No way!
Tiffany: (sighs) Come on, guys, we have an objective to meet today.
Ken: Right, peerless leader.
Luke: Ok then.
They all began to walk away.
Max: Hey! Hey!
Max followed after them, and Rose, watching this, giggled.
Rose: They''re getting along really well.