《Jack》


 Trouble in paradise (prologue)

    A blinding ignited the night sky, a mixture of red and white appearing on the horizon as if disguising itself as a beautiful sunset. The resulting shock wave interrupted the scenery, pulling the already destroyed ground up before blowing it away with a deafening clap. A few scattered remains of some unrecognizeable structures can be seen such as statues, fountains, and buildings that were once beautiful, are now unrecognizable from the dirt and stone from the ground.


    Countless figures stood several miles away, casually watching this spectacle from a distance while openly commenting to each other, ¡°How are they still moving? What has it been, three years now?¡±, ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡±, ¡°Truly a terrifying power...¡±. Powerful waves of air occasionally reached them, but they were becoming weaker and less frequent as the distant combatants began to tire from years of nonstop fighting.


    The war has long been decided, the two beings would be exhausted after the battle and the bystanders would kill whoever was left standing in the end. It was already known by all in this ex-paradise between the love goddess named Ellis, and the tyrannical King Zeus, god of the sky and one wields the destructive power of lightning. Even among gods, this power was excessive... and the other gods feared it.


    While they fought for three years, the gods made a pact between the servants of Zeus and those who rebelled with Ellis. It stated that -when the fight ended- they would kill the survivor while they were still weak. It had been justified in their minds, saying it would ¡°return balance to the universe¡± and ¡°rid the universe of those abominations¡±.


    <Meanwhile>


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHA! Your weakening Ellis, your punches have begun to slow down!¡± A large man standing at nearly eight feet tall and a well-built and a body clearly trained for war. Despite his words, he was not doing very well. Hewas drenched in blood, most of which was his, and his once glorious royal robes were torn to pieces and barely clinging on to his injured frame. ¡°Keep talking, maybe you¡¯ll be able to convince yourself you can still win!¡± The girl across from him shouted a taunt at him while matching his gaze. Ellis wasn¡¯t in best condition either, her face was swollen, and her arms and legs were covered in black-and-blue bruises, not to mention the once shiny, golden armor she was wearing was now practically gone, revealing the thin garment underneath.


    Zeus gave a roar of rage that shook the heavens (literally), and charged at Ellis who smiled lightly, ¡°This battle is already over... and you know it.¡± She mumbled to herself. She knew that a hollow taunt wouldn¡¯t faze this god, the reason he was so enraged, is because she was right. In the last couple of months, she had been focusing on one point of his abdomen, striking the same spot repeatedly. That spot has now ruptured and obviously caused a mortal wound.


    Zeus charged at her, swinging his fist downward at her small figure, a powerful, but also desparate attack that was easily dodged by her. She sidestepped his attack, and focused all her power on her fist, aiming at the same spot she had been attacking all along. She swung with all her might, and to her surprise, the abdominal muscle that should have been hard gave almost no resistance to her attack and caved in. She felt her fist sink in about elbow deep before she unleashed all her remaining power, causing a massive release of energy.


    Zeus was no more.


    Blood sprayed in every direction as her power exploded with a thunderous roar and destroyed the tyrant king from the inside out, freeing her fellow gods from his grip. Zeus¡¯s power vanished and was consumed by Ellis¡¯s blood-red energy. Ellis fell to her knees, exhaustion increasing the effect of gravity as she slowly struggled to her feet with only one thought on her mind, ¡®I have to tell them the news... they are free!¡¯ She pushed herself up, and began walking towards her friends, imagining the looks on their faces when she told them.


    <Later>


    Ellis arrived a few hours later, walking for a period, and flying when she could manage it. She was greeted with a few shocked faces, which she expected, she did just defeat the most powerful being in the universe... well, I guess second most powerful. One of the gods that saw her ran to get the others in the village with an almost panicked expression, did she really look that bad? She unconsciously brushed a strand of blonde hair from her face and straightened herself, puffing out her chest and preparing for the return of her friends.


    It didn¡¯t take long for her friends to come running, but they had weird expressions on their faces, almost a guilty one. ¡®Perhaps they felt bad because I did most of the fighting... but I don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m just happy to see them right now. I haven¡¯t seen anything but an enemy in over three years.¡¯ She thought to herself. ¡°Everyone... you don¡¯t have to worry anymore! I killed Ze-!?¡± Her announcement was interrupted by a mind-numbing pain in her stomach. She looked down to see a black blade coated in poison sticking out of her about three inches to the right of her navel. The blade vanished and was replaced by a hole and a burning sensation.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ellis.¡± Ellis looked up to see her friend, John who just walked out from behind her holding a black knife coated in blood and poison. He apologized, but he didn¡¯t seem sorry, the only word that could describe him now was contentment. He took a deep breath as a smile split his face. Ellis fell on her butt staring at her childhood friend in shock. ¡°W..why?¡± It hurt to talk, but she forced out her one-work question. ¡°We decided There should be a balance to things, no one being should have as much power as you.¡± John began to toss the knife in his hand, ¡°You really are strong, you know, most gods in their prime would already be dead with one stab, but you are still looking at me with that same naive look.¡±


    Ellis started mumbling to herself under her breath as the others came up one by one and gave their insincere apologies. They had already convinced themselves over the last few years that what they were doing was right, many even began to hate her, thinking of her as a fake hero out for glory to justify their actions. The pain in her abdomen was inconsequential when compared to the pain in her heart, she was relatively young for a goddess and was still naive enough to think that the other gods would think about someone other than themselves.


    Her mumbling grew slightly louder, and almost became audible, catching the attention of the gods around her, ¡°Hey, what is she saying?¡± ¡°She probably snapped.¡± ¡°Yeah, she is too weak to be called a goddess if she is really this surprised.¡± She came to a realization: they were all like Zeus, just weaker. ¡°...suscipe me in-¡° ¡°S-somebody stop her!¡± They finally realized what she was doing, but it was too late, ¡°-Terram.¡± She finished the chant and vanished.


    <Earth>


    Jack was sitting in his car with the engine off and the windows rolled down. The sounds of the night filled his ears as he leaned deeper into his chair and inhaled a deep breath of fresh air. Jack loved doing this, it was always so peaceful. Jack was never good in social situations, and, being a full-fledged introvert he loved being alone sometimes, and not have to worry about other people watching him. Most introverts like to hide in plain sight, but that was never possible for Jack, he was six feet and two inches tall with short, black hair and dark brown eyes. He rarely smiles which gives him a rather intimidating aura, but in real life, he is actually pretty patient.


    Living alone for the past two years hasn¡¯t helped him socially either, ever since his parents died, his uncle emancipated him, he moved into an apartment, and is now attending a community college. He has only one friend, no girlfriend, no family (other than his uncle who hates him), and no real life. He spends most of his free time reading, watching tv, or working out, and the third one is just done passively to keep him in shape, because the only thing that could make his life worse is if he was fat. He sighed to himself while closing his eyes, ¡°I really need to get a girlfriend...¡±.


    Jack felt his car jerk followed by a dull thud and saw a bright light through his eyelids, causing him to open his eyes, revealing the most beautiful girl he had ever seen laying sprawled out on his hood. Her hair was a beautiful golden color, she was relatively small when compared ho him and gave out a delicate feeling. He didn¡¯t have any time to waste just staring at her, she was bleeding profusely and was covered in bruises. He immediately threw himself out of his car and took off his jacket, ripping it into strips which didnt work out well, so he just took the pieces he ripped off and tried to stop the bleeding with pressure.


    Jack pushed down on her stomach and the girl let out a grunt in pain. Blood tricked out from under her, and jack could feel a rock in his stomach, he knew this wound wasn¡¯t superficial. Jack took the main part of his jacket and tucked it under her head gently before taking the stripps that were now sticky with blood and did his best to cover the wound from both sides. The nearest hospital was several miles from here, not to mention it was Friday night, it would take an ambulance at least thirty minutes to get here. She didn¡¯t have that long, and even if she was in the best hospital in the world, she was still going to die.


    Her face was slightly swollen, but she still opened her eyes without much trouble and looked at him with a surprised look. A smile formed on his face despite the situation and whispered to avoid loud noises that would disturb her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t do more.¡± She glanced around at her wounds and surroundings before looking back at him and then smiled. This smile wasn¡¯t the smile of someone who was accepting death though, it was a mischievous smile filled with plans that Jack didn¡¯t know about. ¡°Thank...¡± the girl inhaled deeply before releasing her last breath, ¡°...you.¡±


    Jack coudn¡¯t maintain his comforting smile and bit his lip. Watching someone die is truly horrible. Jack sighed and held her writst, of course there was no pulse. He clenched his teeth and looked at the body in front of him. That¡¯s when he noticed a faint red glow, it was so soft it was almost imperceptible, but it was definitely there emitting from the girl¡¯s body. He touched her arm and the light suddenly erupted from the girl¡¯s body and wrapped around him, enveloping him in a blinding light, then vanished as if it was never there.


    When jack came back to himself, he was panting, and had taken a couple of steps backward away from the girl. ¡°What the hell?¡± He exclaimed in surprise, and his question was immediately answered, ¡°ehehe, that was me.¡± A voice in his head replied. Jack was confused, who is talking to him? He was about to ask, but all he could push out of his mouth was ¡°who?¡±. ¡°Hi!¡± I¡¯m Ellis, nice to meet¡¯cha! I was the goddess of love! Congratulations mortal, you are the new goddess-err- god of love!¡±

 Chapter 1: Learning Can Hurt part 1

    Jack stared blankly at his car. The hood was dented, the engine was likely damaged, too and not to mention the blood from the body that had pooled was now trickling down the side and dripping on the asphalt.


    ¡°It looks like I hit someone with my car...¡±


    Jack sighed, realizing he probably couldn¡¯t get it fixed without someone calling the police, or blackmailing him for money. It¡¯s not like its a nice car, but he definitely couldn¡¯t afford another one, and he lived too far away to bike. In any case, this is a bad situation.


    (It¡¯s okay! I¡¯ll fly you to where you need to go!)


    Ellis almost sang the words in his head, somehow unfazed by her own body laying dead in front of her. Jack began to question his sanity, this sounded like something from a second-rate anime, or light novel with questionable-at-best content.


    ¡°Did you say fly?¡±


    ¡®I need to see a doctor,¡¯ He thought to himself, ¡®the voices are saying I can fly...¡¯. Jack looked around at his surroundings, then sighed in relief when he didn¡¯t see anyone. This would look really bad to anyone that might be passing by. His thoughts were interrupted by a very loud, and very energetic voice,


    (Yup! Well, more like throw you, but that¡¯s pretty much the same thing right?)


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡±


    (How far can you humans fall before it¡¯s considered fatal?)


    ¡°Not far.¡±


    (How far is ¡®not far¡¯?)


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what your thinking, but whatever it is, please don¡¯t.¡±


    Ellis chuckled mischievously, while Jack ignored her and took his phone out of his pocket. He pulled up his speed dial, and tapped on the only name that showed up: Jenny.


    (Heh heh heh... you know, it¡¯s rude to pull out weird glowing boxes while a beautiful goddess is talking to you. Hm, how should I punish you?)


    Jack put his phone up to his ear before replying to Ellis.


    ¡°This is a communication device, now please be quiet while I make a call.¡±


    The voice in Jack¡¯s head didn¡¯t seem to like his dismissive response, grumbling stuff like ¡°Stupid technology, why don¡¯t they just use magic like normal beings.¡± and ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk to me, then I don¡¯t want to talk to you...¡± and a few more things he couldn¡¯t understand.


    [Hello?]


    A girl¡¯s voice pulled him out of his thoughts and back into reality.


    ¡°Hey Jenny, it¡¯s Jack.¡±


    Jenny was Jack¡¯s childhood friend, best friend, and also his only friend. She had always been around since they first met in the fifth grade, and always had his back, while he always took her crap. A kind of symbiotic relationship where he has a friend, and she has entertainment. In the beginning it was just pretty much bullying, but it slowly blossomed into a wonderful friendship. The only downside is he was permanently friend-zoned, a term he learned in the ninth grade when he tried to ask her out.


    [Hey, Jack! What¡¯s up? Girlfriend lock you out or something?]


    Jack sighed and sat on the curb next to his car, he knew where this conversation was going.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Jenny, you know I don¡¯t have a girlfriend.¡±


    Here it comes...


    [Yeah... why is that? Your not still after little old me are you? I mean, if you save yourself for me, then you will be a virgin until your sixty.]


    Yes, she hasn¡¯t forgotten the incident in the ninth grade and, even worse, she hasn¡¯t let Jack forget it either. You can probably guess the psychological trauma he¡¯s experienced over the years from that one mistake.


    ¡°Why until I¡¯m sixty?¡±


    [You know I prefer older men. I also prefer to be on top.]


    Jenny said it so matter-of-factly, but he knew better than that, he could picture the smile on her face as she lets that image sink into his mind. He could have lived without that.


    ¡°Listen Jenny, if possible, could you give me a ride back to my apartment? I¡¯m having some... uh...¡±


    Jack glanced at his car with the dead body laying on top, while watching the blood drip into the engine.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say car troubles.¡±


    The other side of the phone was silent for several seconds, to the point where Jack thought she might have left, but her voice returned before he hung up.


    [You are in luck my friend, I just happen to be out getting myself a midnight snack. Where are you?]


    Jack looked past his car at the gate entrance he drove through earlier and let out a relieved smile.


    ¡°Thanks Jenny, your a life saver. I¡¯m at the Jamestown Park, I¡¯ll meet you at the south entrance.¡±


    [Be there in ten.]


    ¡°Thanks again.¡±


    He hung up and turned his gaze back to his car.


    ¡°Now... what to do with the-!? What the hell?!¡±


    Jack shouted in surprise. The girl¡¯s body that was laying on his car was now floating in the air and emitting an ominous, dark aura, and the blood that was all over his car turned black and began to evaporate. He watched as the body began to slowly dehydrate and shrivel up, bones popping and readjusting and skin tightening around the bone, giving it a malnourished zombie look.


    ¡°Ellis! What¡¯s happening?!¡±


    (What? If you don¡¯t want to watch then close your eyes... sheesh, it¡¯s not like I enjoy watching my own body decay. It¡¯s embarrassing...)


    ¡°What the hell Ellis?! Your body decaying looks like something from The Exorcist!¡±


    Jack took a deep breath and regained his composure, and the body crumbled to dust.


    (What? Don¡¯t humans decay?)


    ¡°Yes, but not that fast.¡±


    The dust was caught in a slight breeze and vanished into the night.


    (It¡¯s funny. That dust that was just taken by the wind used to be the most powerful, beautiful, and all-around wonderful being in the universe.)


    Jack was about to retort to her self-flattery, but sensed a trace of sadness in the usually energetic voice, and decided against it.


    (Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I did something bad!)


    She snapped back to her usual self and announced some disturbing news with a voice full of pride, which was slightly shocking to Jack, who was still feeling a bit sorry for her.


    ¡°Oh, no.¡±


    (Hu hu hu.)


    ¡°Why are you laughing?¡±


    Ellis let out a laugh fill of pride as if she just achieved a great feat without breaking a sweat, before calmly replying.


    (When a goddess does something, she does it a million times better than any human, even when it¡¯s something bad.)


    ¡°So your saying you just did something a million times worse than what any human could do?¡±


    (No. I¡¯m exceptional, even among gods and goddesses! So it¡¯s even worse than that! Aren¡¯t I incredible?)


    She asked nonchalantly, as if asking for praise that was owed to her. Jack¡¯s stomach did a flip as he thought about all the damage a goddess could do, and slowly worked up the courage to respond.


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    (Well, YOU were talking on your glow box of weird voices, so I decided to send a message via your body.)


    ¡°You can do that?¡±


    Despite the fear he felt, he was still genuinely curious. It seems she can still control her power a little.


    (Of course I can! How do you think I¡¯m able to communicate with you? Anyway, stop interrupting.)


    Her reply was very blunt and slightly condescending, but surprisingly cute. Even though he couldn¡¯t see her, her personality is very easy to see through, and she was clearly feeling superior at the moment. Jack smiled despite himself.


    (I sent the message while slightly irritated with you, and it didn¡¯t exactly make you out to be the good guy, and now my archangel is coming down to ¡°liberate me from the beast that dares take advantage of me in such a weak state¡±.)


    There was a moment of silence as Jack stood alone in the park, not-so-secretly hoping this is all a dream, or a delusion brought on by lack of sleep. But, just in case it wasn¡¯t, he figured he should prepare to meet a pissed-off archangel from heaven who is specifically targeting him. HOW THE HELL DO YOU PREPARE FOR THAT!?


    (Don¡¯t worry.)


    Comforting words came from his mind.


    (Angels can¡¯t travel via teleportation like gods, so you will probably die of old age before she gets here.)


    Relief filled his body, and he released a breath he didn¡¯t even know he was holding, and laid back on the grass.


    (Yeah, she won¡¯t be here for, like, a couple of weeks... humans have a lifespan of about a week and a half, right?)

 Chapter 2: Learning Can Hurt part 2

    Jack was speechless. How could Ellis think so little of humans? Wait... no. He was taking this too seriously, there was no way she was even real, he had clearly eaten something expired, then fell asleep in his car, this was all a dream. Jack pinched himself as hard as he could on his forearm, and winced at the pain. Well, he wasn¡¯t dreaming. Maybe he¡¯s just crazy? He was nineteen, this could be schizophrenia brought on by stress from school, but he was a pretty laid-back person, so that was unlikely.


    ¡°Ellis.¡±


    (Yes?)


    The source of his self-doubt replied.


    ¡°You underestimate humans.¡±


    (I never underestimate! I am a goddess.)


    ¡°Oh, really...¡±


    (Yup!)


    Jack sighed.


    ¡°How did you contact this ¡®archangel¡¯?¡±


    There was still stuff that he didn¡¯t understand, like how a dead person trapped in his head could communicate with anyone outside of him, goddess or not.


    (Foolish human. My power isn¡¯t gone, just like me it¡¯s just residing inside you. All I did was manipulate it a little so I could send a message.)


    Jack propped himself up on his elbows, then pushed himself into an upright position before responding.


    ¡°You can do that?¡±


    (Of course! I may not be able to do much, but I can manipulate it enough to send a simple hate message!)


    ¡°You get angry too easy.¡±


    Jack stood up and dusted himself off. If this is real, he should do something about it, and if it¡¯s not, then he should go to the hospital.


    ¡°Can you tell her to stop?¡±


    (Yeah, I already tried, but she won¡¯t listen anymore.)


    ¡°Can you get one of your god-friends to stop her?¡±


    There was a short pause before she replied.


    (Gods don¡¯t do favors.)


    Ellis¡¯s voice got darker as she revisited unwanted memories, and Jack could sense her regret in this bitter truth.


    ¡°What do I do?¡±


    He asked her seriously.


    (Get stronger, obviously! Angels are relatively weak compared to most beings, so she is currently about the same caliber as a dragon.)


    ¡°You know a human can¡¯t kill a dragon, right? It¡¯s not like I have a tank either.¡±


    (But your not a human! That¡¯s just what your physical body is!)


    Jack began to walk towards the gate, he figured he should get ready for Jenny¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Oh? How can my physical body be human, but I¡¯m not human? What the hell am I?¡±


    (Rrgh)


    Ellis let out a frustrated grunt and let out an angry response.


    (I already told you! Your the god of love!)


    Jack stopped walking.


    ¡°Wait. I¡¯m just a human, wouldn¡¯t the power of a god kill me?¡±


    (I¡¯m bored of this conversation! Your physical body doesn¡¯t matter! You have my power inside of you! JUST DON¡¯T DIE!)


    Jack grabbed his head as the words blared in his mind, causing a slight headache. He took a second to recover before removing his hands, and straightening himself.


    (Just close your eyes.)


    A command came from the slightly irritated personality in his head.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    (Because I said so!)


    Jack quickly obeyed.


    (Okay, now try to feel it.)


    ¡°What does it feel like?¡±


    Jack tried to sense the hidden power of a god inside of him, and felt a little stupid. He hadn¡¯t done this since the sixth grade when he had a dream where he was the god of fire.


    (Hell if I know, gods are pretty much made up of this stuff, it¡¯s like asking us to feel our arm or leg.)


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    He can feel it. It was like he could sense his blood flowing through every part of his body. It felt surprisingly normal, as if it had been there the whole time.


    (Wow. That was really fast. It takes most gods years to be able to sense that much.)


    ¡°W-what do I do now?¡±


    Jack asked while trying to remain focused on the energy.


    (Try moving it, duh.)


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Jack felt it¡¯s movement, then focused on making it flow in the opposite direction, figuring that was the most effective way to get a response. He collapsed. Pain flooded his mind, screaming in his brain as every muscle, nerve, bone, and organ rip apart. and regenerate over and over again, causing him to writhe and roll around in pain. It started in his bones and worked its way out, crushing and crunching his bones before replacing them with new ones, each and every cell and nerve exploded, then reassembled, followed by his skin which felt like it it had caught on fire. This all ended within 30 seconds.


    After it was over, Jack didn¡¯t move for several seconds, just panting and sweating while he tried to slow his heartbeat.


    (Nicely done. I thought you were going to die for a second there, but you pulled through. I¡¯m actually proud of you.)


    ¡°*pant* *pant* I don¡¯t want to *gasp* do that again.¡±


    Jack slowly pulled himself to his feet, carefully making sure not to strain himself. He found that he felt really good, despite just going through a traumatic ordeal.


    (Then you won¡¯t get any stronger. Pain is necessary to grow.)


    ¡°Grow?¡±


    Jack was on his feet now, rubbing his slightly sore muscles, which he noticed were significantly harder than usual, like he was flexing.


    (Yes, because of that little stunt you pulled, you should be able to beat your world¡¯s greatest warrior unarmed despite your lack of skill, and your intelligence should also be above average.)


    Jack took a deep breath and looked around. It wasn¡¯t as dark as it used to be, and he could hear things moving around him, scampering and chirping, though it wasn¡¯t overwhelming. It was more informative than anything, as if letting him know of everything that¡¯s happening around him.


    (Your life is also extended, you will also have another week added to your inconsequentially short life. Keep this up, and you may even live a year.)


    ¡°Humans have been known to live over a hundred years, average life span is about seventy. We¡¯re not flies.¡±


    (Oh, in that case, you will likely live to one-hundred and seventy if you are healthy.)


    Jack was no longer listening, he felt like he could take on the world, hopping up and down on his toes, and feeling as light as a feather.


    (Ignoring me won¡¯t end well for you.)


    ¡°Can I do that again?¡±


    Ellis paused to consider his question.


    (No, I wouldn¡¯t recommend that. You need to recover and adjust to your new abilities or else you may have a heart attack, or a serious injury. Don¡¯t forget how you almost died just now.)


    Jack stopped hopping when he heard a car approach. It was still decently far off, but he was certain it was there.


    ¡°That must be Jenny.)


    Jack pulled his phone out and checked the time.


    ¡°She¡¯s fifteen minutes later than she said... well, at least she didn¡¯t just leave me here.¡±


    Jack placed his phone back into his pocket and resumed his walk towards the gate with a newfound energy. His stride was long and confident, and he walked with his head held high, inhaling a deep breath of fresh air.


    (Who¡¯s Jenny? Your girlfriend?)


    Ellis asked in a teasing tone, but Jack just laughed and shook his head.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s my closest friend, I¡¯ve known her for years. She would probably break my neck if she heard me say I was her boyfriend.¡±


    (Ah, I see. A childhood friend and a tsundrere huh? Don¡¯t worry, you got the goddess of love on your side, I¡¯ll make her fall for you!)


    A cute reply came from the goddess, and Jack couldn¡¯t hold back his smile.


    ¡°How do you know about that, but not anything else about humans?¡±


    (I¡¯ve been exploring your brain.)


    Jack choked on nothing, and tripped over himself, almost face-planting but recovered quickly, avoiding an unpleasant experience.


    ¡°S-stay out of there! I didn¡¯t give you permission to be in there!¡±


    (MWAHAHA! I now know all of your dirty secrets! Although I don¡¯t know why there is so much about the human reproductive cycle in here... Jack, are you a pervert?)


    ¡°No! I am a healthy, straight young man! Now get out of my brain!¡±


    Jack was feeling unprecedented amounts of embarrassment at this new psychological torture. A car¡¯s headlights turned towards Jack, catching his attention.


    (Hu hu hu. Incognito mode activated, communicate through thoughts now to keep from alerting the target.)


    ¡°So I¡¯ve been talking to myself like an insane person for nothing?¡±


    Jack approached the car. As he came close to the hood, a loud honk caused him to nearly jump out of his skin, and he stepped backwards in alarm.  He heard a faint giggling from inside the car, and realized Jenny was just teasing him. He quickly regained his composure and walked up to the car door, which was opened for him at just the right moment to hit his groin. Enhanced or no, it still hurts like hell when your crotch gets smacked by a car door, and he leaned forward while gripping the top of the opened door with one hand, and holding his knee with the other to keep himself upright.


    He looked up to meet a pair of beautiful, blue eyes that were deeply amused at his suffering while still holding a small trace of affection. Jenny¡¯s short brown hair came down to her slender shoulders, and a deceptively delicate-looking body which Jack knew could pack quite a punch.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Masochist.¡±


    Jack chuckled at her response.


    ¡°I meant for the ride.¡±


    She released a radiant smile that could melt the coldest of hearts.


    ¡°Sure you did. The ride¡¯s no problem, but the rest is gonna cost you.¡±


    ¡°Cost me what?¡±


    Jack entered the car and sat next to her, closing the door behind him.


    ¡°A burrito and a soda.¡±


    She replied to his question with a very basic request, however her motives were not as pure as Jack had thought. While he was nodding in response to her request a thought ran through her mind.


    ¡®Hehehe. You may not know it yet, but your already mine.¡¯

 Chapter 2.5: From Jenny鈥檚 Perspective

    Jenny woke to the sound of her phone ringing.


    ¡°Who the hell?¡±


    She lazily rolled over to her nightstand, clumsily pushing aside a small pile of magazines to reach her phone. Some of the magazines fell on the floor and Jenny cursed hunter her breath as her fingers find the smooth surface of her phone. She held it up, squinting to see the name on the bright screen as she brings it close to her face. Her eyes widen as she reads the name Jack and sees a picture of the familiar face.


    ¡°Jack? I wonder what¡¯s wrong.¡±


    Though she said that, she couldn¡¯t keep her heart from skipping a beat at the thought of him calling her. Jack was not a social person, and would normally never talk on the phone unless someone called him, and even then he would usually let it ring out before sending a text. She quickly answered the phone.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    She mentally beat herself up for not starting off with something snappy to grab his attention.


    [Hey, Jenny, it¡¯s Jack.]


    So blunt. Rather than conversation, it felt like he was informing her of his name, but she knew he wasn¡¯t intentionally being rude, this is just how he is. Jenny loved that about him. He once asked her out in the ninth grade, and his exact words were, ¡°Go out with me¡±. She was shocked, and even thought he was joking, so she replied, ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯re just friends¡±. She later found out he was serious. Ever since then, she began to see him differently. Less as a friend and more as a ¡°significant other¡±, and started to take a legitimate interest in his love life, meaning she made sure that she was the only girl in his life.


    ¡°Hey, Jack! What¡¯s up? Girlfriend lock you out or something?¡±


    [Jenny, you know I don¡¯t have a girlfriend.]


    ¡®Yeah.¡¯


    She thought to herself.


    ¡®It¡¯s still good to hear though.¡¯


    She laid back on her pillow and stared at the ceiling. She loved this part.


    ¡°Yeah... why is that? Your not still after little old me are you? I mean, if you save yourself for me, then you will be a virgin until your sixty.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    There was a slight pause.


    [Why until I¡¯m sixty?]


    Checkmate. Time to give him a little hope.


    ¡°You know I prefer older men. I also prefer to be on top.¡±


    Now that she thinks about it, he may not picture them together when their old, but her with some other old man. Damn. He¡¯s really dense. It¡¯s like trying to mold steel with a lighter.


    [Listen, Jenny, if possible, could you give me a ride back to my apartment? I¡¯m having some... uh... let¡¯s just say some car troubles.]


    It was a request. It is hard to write everything that was going through Jenny¡¯s mind at this moment, but this is the gist:


    ¡®Omagodwhatamigonnado? Ireallywannaseehimbuthewillbesuspiciousifidonthaveanexcuse! Whatkindofexcusecouldiuseforbeingoutinthemiddleofthenight? Ah... got it.¡¯


    She had come up with the perfect excuse, she was out getting a midnight snack. It would explain why it wouldn¡¯t be troublesome to pick him up, and she could guilt him into buying her a meal and having a mini-date.


    ¡°You are in luck my friend, I just happen to be getting a midnight snack. Where are you?¡±


    [Thanks Jenny, your a life saver. I¡¯m at the Jamestown park, I¡¯ll meet you at the south entrance.]


    ¡®Heh, of course he bought it.¡¯


    ¡°Be there in ten.¡±


    [Thanks again.]


    Then he hung up.


    Jenny rolled out of bed, no traces of exhaustion in her figure as she walked quickly over to the light switch and flicked it on. Her room was nothing special to the untrained eye, it was relatively clean, with a few odds and ends scattered here and there. In fact there are only two people in the world who would notice something off about this room, one was herself, and the other was Jack. The reason is because her room is a near-exact replica of Jack¡¯s room.


    Jenny glanced around her room as if it were a masterpiece.


    ¡°Time to get ready for my date!¡±


    <25 minutes later>


    After fifteen minutes of straightening her hair, choosing an outfit, applying makeup, and a couple of other things, she rushed out the door and began her ten minute drive to Jack, calming her nerves the entire drive there while quietly whispering calming words to herself. Her stress disappeared the instant her eyes fell on his face, one that seemed very in control, and had often calmed her nerves in the past.


    He approached the car, and she honked the horn when he was closest to the hood, and getting a pretty good reaction. Well, a good reaction for him. He walked over to the door, and she quickly reached over, while pulling the handle and flinging the door into him. He bent over in pain while holding on the door.


    ¡®Oops, I hope I didn¡¯t damage anything important.¡¯


    While she was slightly regretting her actions, Jack looked up at her.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    She blushed slightly when he thanked her, and hoped he didn¡¯t notice while she tried to distract him.


    ¡°Masochist.¡±


    He chuckled.


    ¡°I meant for the ride.¡±


    She was relieved when he didn¡¯t notice her embarrassment and relaxed her grip on the steering wheel slightly.


    ¡°Sure you did. The ride¡¯s no problem, but the rest is gonna cost you.¡±


    ¡°Cost me what?¡±


    Jack sat next to her and closed the door, and with that there date has started.


    ¡°A burrito and a soda.¡±


    She was already planning her date with Jack and how it would play into their life together. He nodded in agreement.


    ¡®Hehehe. You may not know it yet, but your already mine.¡¯

 Chapter 3: Learning Can Hurt part 3

    The two soon arrived at a local fast-food Mexican restaurant, and entered the building.


    (Ooh, what¡¯s this place?)


    Jack could hear Ellis¡¯s fascination with the restaurant, although, she was surprisingly unfazed at seeing all of the cars driving around.


    ¡®It¡¯s somewhere you can get food quickly, although the quality is often reduced.¡¯


    The two approached the counter, and Jenny began ordering food, while Jack looked around the restaurant. It was pretty ordinary, with tables and chairs neatly organized around the room, and a bar with a soda machine to his right along with condiments, lids, and straws. As for the people, there were about three others, each eating alone, each at their own table. The only odd thing was they were all old-looking men with long, white beards, and each of them was wearing a different color hoodie, one yellow, one blue, and one red, each with the hood up. To be honest it looked a group of homeless men.


    (They¡¯re not human.)


    Ellis said in a very serious tone.


    ¡®They¡¯re not? What are they?¡¯


    ¡°Sir, What would you like?¡±


    The voice of the lady behind the counter pulled him out of his thoughts.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Jenny gave him a cold stare for some reason.


    ¡®She must not want to eat alone. It¡¯s probably a girl thing.¡¯


    ¡°On second thought, I¡¯ll have what she¡¯s having.¡±


    Jenny¡¯s expression returned to normal, and she happily accepted her cup before heading towards the soda machine. Jack followed suit, picking up his cup and turned his attention back to Ellis.


    ¡®Ellis?¡¯


    (Yeah, I¡¯m certain they¡¯re not human, there is a magical energy surrounding them.)


    ¡®So they¡¯re gods?¡¯


    Jack collected ice from the ice dispenser on the soda machine, then began to fill his cup with sweet tea.


    (No, not gods. There are many magical beings on earth, but I don¡¯t have time to tell you about that now. Those things are furies, and they can be dangerous when they gang up.)


    ¡®How dangerous.¡¯


    Jack¡¯s cup overflowed slightly, and he reached to grab some napkins to wipe away the excess fluid.


    (Their strength is comparable to an adult human¡¯s, but their speed is quite impressive. They are only attracted to beings that release a magical signature, and tend to fear humans.)


    Ellis continued while jack headed towards Jenny, who had picked out a seat by the window.


    ¡®Fear humans?¡¯


    (Yes, humans have no magical energy and are based solely on science, so there is no reason for them to have an interest in them, not to mention humans are smarter. Furies can sense threats very well, and will often avoid situations that will get them noticed.)


    Jack sat across from Jenny, setting his cup down on the table and leaning back in his chair appearing relaxed. Jenny, who was looking at her phone, looked up at him worry reflected in her eyes.


    ¡°You alright? You seem a little out of it.¡±


    Jack smiled ever so slightly, he was not alright, he was either insane, or surrounded by magic-eating monsters. To his surprise, he found himself hoping for the latter, then he could at least trust his own mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a little tired.¡±


    Jenny looked at him with suspicious eyes, she knew him too well. Luckily for him, she seemed to dismiss it, and stand up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, I¡¯ve got to wash up.¡±


    She turned and walked off towards the restrooms. Jack returned his attention to Ellis who was grumbling to herself quietly about how stupid he was.


    ¡®Do you think they¡¯ve noticed me?¡¯


    Ellis stopped her grumbling long enough to respond.


    (Yeah, you emit a magical energy, why?)


    Jack thought of a way to test his sanity, but if it worked, he may not come out unscathed.


    (You shouldn¡¯t have to worry about them, they see you as a threat and will not attack as long as you don¡¯t make any sudden moves.)


    He would have to finish up before Jenny returned from the restroom. Luckily, the lady behind the counter had gone back into the kitchen, so she was out of sight, and hopefully earshot.


    ¡®Sudden moves, you say?¡¯


    (Yeah-wait, what are you thinking?!)


    It seems Ellis caught on. If they attack him, and he gets hurt, then he is likely not insane, but if they do nothing, then he is just a crazy person with voices in his head. It¡¯s not foolproof, but it should at least help. Ellis didn¡¯t seem to like this idea.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    (Moron! If you die, then I die! For real this time!)


    ¡°Here goes nothing.¡±


    Jack ignored her and abruptly stood up, letting his chair fall to the ground with a loud clattering noise. In that instant, all three men¡¯s eyes locked on him, all moving in sync like a horror movie. Their eyes were bright green color that emitted a threatening aura. They each stood up slowly, swaying back and forth, and their hands which were previously under the table, came into the light, revealing long claws that resembled knives.


    Jack heard something fall to his left, and he turned to see a fourth fury climbing over the counter, this one was younger-looking maybe in his late thirties, and wearing the restaurant¡¯s employee hat. Blood dripped down his claws and onto the floor, which likely belonged to the lady behind the counter. Jack maintained his poker face, he didn¡¯t know how they would react if he revealed the fear he was feeling.


    (Tch. Now you¡¯ve done it. Your lucky there are only four of them, they normally travel in packs that are at least six, and sometimes exceed twenty.)


    The furies edged toward him, surrounding him. Jack¡¯s fists clenched as he prepared for a fight.


    (They work well as a team, but their strategies are simple, it looks like they are trying to get around you. DON¡¯T LET THAT HAPPEN.)


    Ellis spoke with a very calm, but stern voice, one that Jack didn¡¯t think she was even capable of. Luckily, he was next to a wall already, so he didn¡¯t have to move much to have his back covered.


    (They will likely attack you one right after the other, to wear you down. They are underestimating you.)


    Jack felt the adrenaline pump into his blood, sharpening his senses, and preparing him to fight or run. Running was not an option since Jenny was still in the restroom, so he brought his fists up next to his face. He had been in a couple of one-on-one fist fights before, but he couldn¡¯t help doubting his abilities when facing such terrifying creatures.


    Just like Ellis said, the one to his far right that was wearing a blue hoodie lunged at him, baring it¡¯s teeth and raising it¡¯s claws while charging at a frightening speed. Jack barely had enough time to bring his arm between them before they collided, and he felt it¡¯s claws cut into his arm. Without hesitation, he pushed back against the fury as the blades cut deeper, until he felt his arm hit it¡¯s body. He pushed with all his might to inflict maximum damage, and heard the nauseating crunch of bones, and felt his hand dig into it¡¯s torso. He pulled his arm around, and the creature went flying across the room, crashing into some tables.


    Jack gripped his arm which was now covered in blood, and realizing the wound wasn¡¯t as bad as he thought it was, while it drew blood, it didn¡¯t dig into the muscle enough to cause any real damage. While looking at his arm, the one to his left wearing the employee hat charged with even more speed than the last one, but Jack was already prepared. He kicked the chair at his feet in the direction of the one attacking, then grabbed the table next to him before the others could react, and swung it towards their heads. One was blind sided, while the other just had time to put it¡¯s hands up to defend itself, but both were blown away.


    The one to his left was hindered by the chair, but quickly recovered and resumed it¡¯s attack, this time coming up close before engaging in a one-on-one fight. This one was clearly on a different level from the others, it fought will skilled and well-calculated moves that could only be gained through first-hand experience. Jack turned to face the new threat, dodging or blocking each attack to the best of his abilities while looking for an opening. A couple of hits hit their mark, but most of those just knocked him back against the wall, and didn¡¯t deal any real damage.


    This creature clearly had the upper hand when it came to experience, but Jack beat it in strength and speed. The fury slashed downward at Jack at a speed most humans wouldn¡¯t even be able to see, but it just looked like a normal attack to the new god of love, and he was able to catch it with his left hand before it landed a hit. The creature hesitated, seeing it was outmatched, and as soon as Jack saw the opening, he threw his right fist straight into it¡¯s nose, which emitted a loud crunching noise. The fury¡¯s head went back and it¡¯s legs went forward as it¡¯s face imploded from the force of his punch, and it hit the ground with a dull thud. The green lights in it¡¯s eyes vanished, and were replaced with just ordinary human eyes.


    Jack stood still for several moments while looking at the bodies in front of him, trying to calm himself. Blood dripped on the floor from his various wounds, but none of them were severe, the worst one was the one on his arm. The t-shirt he had been wearing was torn and had blood splattered on it, some of it his, and some of it the furies.


    (That was cool. It¡¯s a pity your ¡®not girlfriend¡¯ wasn¡¯t here to see it, or she might have thrown herself into your arms! Damn, what a perfect opportunity wasted!)


    Oh, shit.


    ¡°Jenny!¡±


    Jack rushed towards the restrooms. He made a lot of noise while fighting those things, and she still hasn¡¯t come out of the restroom!


    ¡°If anything happened to her, I swear...¡±


    Jack mumbled under his breath. He only had one friend in the world, and she was more precious to him than anything else in the world, so he couldn¡¯t let anything happen to her. He could take a lot of crap if it was directed at him, but he has a low tolerance for anyone that hurts someone he cares about. He ran around the corner, and saw Jenny exiting the women¡¯s restroom.


    ¡°Jack! What was all that noi-omagod! What happened to-!?¡±


    Jenny¡¯s first though was interrupted by Jack¡¯s beat-up appearance, and her second thought was interrupted by Jack¡¯s hug. He ran right up to her with incredible speed, and hugged her without hesitation, which was pretty normal considering how he thought his only friend was murdered by green-eyed monsters. However, all Jenny knew was she heard some noise, she came out, and jack was covered in blood and hugging her. Her face was as red as a tomato when she finally found her voice.


    ¡°J-Jack... W-w-why are you-what happened!?¡±


    Jack let out a sigh of relief, and stepped back to meet her gaze, but she had already snapped out of her stupor, and was now concerned with the blood.


    ¡°Jack! You need to go to the hospital!¡±


    Jack looked down at his injuries, but they were all shallow despite their appearance, and should heal well without the expensive hospital bills. Not to mention some of the blood belonged to the furies, and he didn¡¯t want to explain that to the hospital staff.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s not as bad as it looks. I have some medical supplies at home I can clean it up with.¡±


    ¡°No! I will not allow it! What if you get an infection!? Huh!? What about the ones on your back!? Can you even properly clean those!?¡±


    Jenny was legitimately angry, and that made Jack a little happy despite himself. She was right though, when he was hit into the wall, some of the wood cracked and cut into his back, and he couldn¡¯t properly clean and bandage those.


    ¡°Hey, Jenny.¡±


    Jack caught her attention with a calm voice.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I have a favor to ask.¡±


    She calmed down and looked at him, still slightly upset.


    ¡°Would you mind bandaging my back?¡±


    Jenny sighed, realizing she couldn¡¯t talk him into going to the hospital.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll do it. But you had better explain what happened.¡±


    (You know, while your revealing secrets, you might as well tell her you love her. Not to mention you¡¯ll already be at your house... hu hu hu.)


    Jack smiled.


    ¡®That would end poorly for me.¡¯


    Jack left the building, noticing the piles of dust where the furies¡¯ bodies used to be. It reminded him of when he saw Ellis¡¯s body disintegrate. Looks like all magical beings decompose like.


    (I don¡¯t think so... from what I¡¯ve seen, she seems to be crazy about you.)


    ¡®Your wrong. She isn¡¯t.¡¯


    Jack took off his blood-soaked t-shirt before getting in Jenny¡¯s car, and Ellis, who could see through Jack¡¯s eyes, noticed a greedy look flash across her face, but was gone as fast as it appeared.


    (I wouldn¡¯t be too sure...)


    Ellis mumbled while thinking privately to herself.


    ¡®This one might be dangerous.¡¯

 Chapter 3.5: A Quick Recovery

    On the drive back, Jack leaned forward to avoid getting blood on Jenny¡¯s seat and conversed with Ellis in his mind about the incident that just happened while Jenny sat in silence and focused on getting Jack home quickly.


    (From what I saw, your physical and cognitive abilities have multiplied by about five times since your ¡°upgrade¡±.)


    ¡®Oh, really? Does that mean it will continue to multiply by five, or does it just add five times my original strength?¡¯


    (Hopefully it continues to multiply rather than add, or else you will be screwed when my archangel arrives.)


    ¡®Oh yeah, can you tell me more about what I should expect? I mean, what are the chances of getting attacked again?¡¯


    Jack inquired, though Ellis didn¡¯t seem interested in explaining, she didn¡¯t want him to die even more.


    (*sigh* fine... I suppose I could give you a basic overview...)


    ¡®Thanks, Ellis, I owe you one.¡¯


    (Yeah, yeah. Anyway, monsters in this world are very common, they can be found anywhere and can survive in many different environments.)


    ¡®Wouldn¡¯t people notice if there were that many monsters just wandering around?¡¯


    (From what I¡¯ve gathered from the time spent in your mind, it is likely your government knows about their existence, but don¡¯t spread it around to avoid mass panic, and what is discovered is dismissed as a conspiracy theory. Monsters have obviously avoided discovery in fear of human¡¯s or the gods that love the humans. Throughout history, there have been monsters that have attempted to eliminate humanity, and every time a god would bless some knight to go and defeat the creature, and send a message to any that threaten humanity.)


    ¡®Did you ever bless anyone?¡¯


    (Yup! But my blessings were more of the ¡°Hey, they would make a cute couple! Blessing of the goddess of love, and now live happily ever after¡± variety.)


    ¡®That feels wrong somehow.¡¯


    (I wouldn¡¯t know, I never got to see their happily ever after... my blessing may have worn off and I would never know about it.)


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you just watch them?¡¯


    (Because I¡¯m only sixteen.)


    Jack choked on the air and started coughing. After assuring Jenny repeatedly that he was alright, he returned to his conversation with Ellis.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡®Does that mean your younger than me?¡¯


    (How old are you?)


    ¡®Nineteen¡¯


    (Then yes, I am younger.)


    Jack let out a sigh in his mind.


    ¡®I thought all the gods were millions of years old or something.¡¯


    (No, gods are born similarly to how humans are born, but it is true they will never die unless another god kills them.)


    ¡®Why another god?¡¯


    (Because nothing else can. Gods are higher beings in every meaning of the word, they are stronger, faster, smarter, cockier, and more self-righteous than any other existence.)


    ¡®Gods don¡¯t do favors, huh.¡¯


    Jack remembered when he asked her why she doesn¡¯t contact one of her god-friends, and he suspected this had something to do with it, but he wasn¡¯t going to pry.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    Jenny¡¯s voice pulled him out of his head, and back to reality as they pulled up to his apartment building. He lived closer than he thought, or maybe Jenny made some questionable maneuvers, either way they were finally home. Jack pushed open the car door and climbed out, noticing his wounds very acutely since his adrenaline gave out. He entered his apartment with Jenny trailing behind, almost hesitant to enter, and he even thought he heard her make a small squeal, but he dismissed it. He was so tired he could barely stand, and immediately sat down heavily on a wooden chair next to a small table.


    ¡°Where is the first aid kit?¡±


    Jenny asked in a slightly demanding tone while beginning to search through his cabinets.


    ¡°In the closet by the bathroom.¡±


    <several minutes later>


    Jack had finished bandaging the worst of his injuries while Jenny watched intently, making him a little uncomfortable, he didn¡¯t see her blink even once. He then turned away from her to let her finish up his back. He felt her hands lightly dab his back with the wet cloth, and shudder whenever she made contact.


    ¡®Is it really that bad?¡¯


    After the bandaging was finished up, Jack thanked Jenny, then apologized for his rudeness before heading toward his bed, telling her to help herself to anything she wants before she goes.


    ¡°U-um.¡±


    Jack stopped, and looked back at Jenny, who was looking at him with an amused expression.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, moron. What if you need help?¡±


    It took a moment for Jack to understand due to his exhaustion, and by the time he figured out what she was saying, she had already walked past him and into his bedroom.


    ¡°W-wait.¡±


    Even if it was Jenny, this was a bit much.


    ¡°Stop arguing, and just go to bed.¡±


    Jenny sat down on his recliner, and had already made herself comfortable by leaning all the way back and propping her feet up.


    ¡°Ah... whatever.¡±


    Jack was too tired to argue, and it¡¯s not like they¡¯re sleeping in the same bed. He walked over to his bed, and removed an extra blanket before spreading it over Jenny, who quickly accepted it and wrapped herself up in it. Jack shuffled over to the light switch, and flicked it off and crawled into his soft, comforting bed. Before he drifted off to sleep, he reflected on the day¡¯s events, remembering the furies, and How they were able to do so much damage despite being weaker than him.


    ¡®Ellis.¡¯


    (Yes?)


    Ellis responds with her usual cheery voice, not affected by the same physical limitations as him.


    ¡®Starting tomorrow I¡¯m going to learn how to fight.¡¯


    (Okay.)


    Ellis remembered how Jack panicked when he thought Jenny might be in trouble, and how he ran after her, ready to fight despite his many injuries. He didn¡¯t seem like a violent person, even while fighting the furies, he waited for them to attack first, but when his friend was in danger, she believed he would have thrown himself at a dragon without hesitation. Yet he still expects nothing in return.


    She was starting to like this human.

 Chapter 4: Learning Can Hurt part 4

    When Jack woke the next morning, Jenny was already gone. She had folded the blanket he lent to her and left it on the recliner she slept on the previous night. He lazily pulled his phone out of his pocket, and of course it was dead since he went straight to bed without removing his jeans, much less charging his phone. Tossing it on the bed next to him, he sat up and checked his watch, which he kept by his bed, always too scared to wear it due to it¡¯s value. As he admired the golden family heirloom for a moment, before his eyes fell on its face. 8:17 was displayed, which Jack didn¡¯t expect, considering how he didn¡¯t even go to bed until at least 2:00.


    ¡°Did Jenny even sleep?¡±


    Jack¡¯s mind drifted to his childhood friend, and how worried she was the night before.


    His thoughts were interrupted when the feeling of being immersed in cold water flooded his senses, something was wrong. The drowsiness left his body, as he quickly, but silently crept up to his door, and cracked it open.


    ¡®Ellis, you up?¡¯


    (I¡¯m always up!)


    Her usual, energetic voice came without hesitation.


    ¡®Are there any monsters nearby?¡¯


    (No. Well, not close enough to matter, why?)


    Jack checked to make sure nothing was in his line of sight before slipping out his door, closing it silently behind him before crouching.


    ¡®Something¡¯s here.¡¯


    Jack was certain now, he could hear light, calculated breaths, and smelled the faint scent of sweat. Whoever it was, they were nervous, and trying to hide it.


    ¡®Whatever it is, it¡¯s waiting for me.¡¯


    (Are you sure it isn¡¯t Jenny?)


    Ah... Of course. Jenny was sweating last night due to the stress, and she was probably breathing so lightly because she got up to leave and fell asleep somewhere. He really needed to learn how to accurately detect a threat, and soon or it could cost him. Jack let his guard down, but not completely, thinking it never hurts to be safe. It was good he was so alert, because what greeted him when he entered his living room wasn¡¯t the sleeping face of Jenny, but a black blur moving the speed of a bullet. Something grazed his cheek, as he threw himself into the wall to his left. He reached up to touch his right cheek, and felt a slight sting and something wet.


    [Impressive, but I won¡¯t miss twice.]


    A mechanical voice came from the far corner of the room, sounding calm, but obviously not bluffing. A slim figure leaned against the wall in the corner of the room, flipping a spear while alternating hands slowly. The person(?) was covered in a black military uniform that hid any defining features, though Jack could tell they were slim, and probably male due to the small chest region. It¡¯s face was hidden with a sleek mask that was tinted black, and surrounded their head to allow maximum vision.


    Jack stood, and dusted himself off slowly, not making any sudden movements, but not being necessarily cautious either. He wasn¡¯t thinking about the difference in power between them, and he wasn¡¯t being overconfident either. He looked directly at its mask without any particular emotion visible, however his irises had small traces of pink in them and were giving off an intense aura. The dark figure shifted it¡¯s stance to a more defensive position, and stopped twirling it¡¯s spear.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Jenny?¡±


    Jack¡¯s voice was soft, but demanding when he inquired, and the figure smiled slightly under the mask.


    [Your girlfriend is fine, she left a little while ago. I¡¯m only here for you.]


    ¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend.¡±


    Jack relaxed a little, since they showed no signs of lying. Jack didn¡¯t pursue any further conversation, so the figure continued after a short pause.


    [I was sent to observe you, and I do not plan on leaving.]


    The voice came, speaking as if stating a well-known and often repeated line, and waited for a response expectantly. Jack hesitated, if this person wanted to kill him, it wouldn¡¯t have stopped after one attack, however, they were not friendly and could hinder his growth. If this person decides he shouldn¡¯t learn to fight, there is not much he could do until he goes through that hellish experience again, and they might not take that well, and kill him in his moment of weakness. He needed an excuse... Jack rubbed his arm, which was healing well, and decided to find out what the figure in front of him knows. He has never been very round-about with his words, and wasn¡¯t very good at conversation, so he just asked bluntly.


    ¡°What do you know about me?¡±


    The figure seemed to be taken aback by his blunt question, and considered it¡¯s answer for several seconds before replying.


    [I know you are possessed, and you attacked and killed three furies along with their pack leader with your bare hands.]Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°How?¡±


    [The cameras at the restaurant, and your phone.]


    ¡®They must have heard me talking to you... So they are probably with the government, or some agency.¡¯


    (I swear, listening to you two talk is like listening to machines swap information.)


    Jack noticed Ellis referenced machines, specifically computers, so he figured she spent some more time learning from his memories. Jack decided he should learn some better social skills after that thought. However, this thought process does have it¡¯s benefits, he had come up with a suitable excuse.


    ¡°I¡¯m hunting the more hostile monsters.¡±


    It fit well, he had shown no hostility towards anything he didn¡¯t consider a threat, and he really did plan to kill more monsters in the future. The most effective lies are usually half true.


    [You are too weak to fight on equal grounds with anything but the lowest monsters.]


    The response was harsh, but it seemed to believe him, which was Jack¡¯s original goal anyway.


    (You are going to die. There is no way it will allow you to train, even if you say it¡¯s to defeat monsters.)


    ¡®Yes it will. Not only will it allow me, it¡¯s going to teach me.¡¯


    (What!?)


    Jack ignored Ellis¡¯s shout and resumed his conversation with the figure. Judging from his previous experience, he would have to use logic to convince it, which made Jack thank his lucky stars because he didn¡¯t think he had the ability to manipulate something that had emotion.


    ¡°Then help me.¡±


    [Why would I do that?]


    The figure seemed to have relaxed a little bit now that Jack¡¯s hostility had been significantly reduced, and had resumed twirling it¡¯s spear.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m interesting. I am a monster hunting monsters, not to gain power, but to create a safer environment for humans. This is unprecedented, and not yet explainable by reason. So, in return for teaching me to fight, I will reveal information regarding myself, and my intentions. If you refuse to help, I will just teach myself, and likely die when I confront an enemy stronger than me, and you will be left without any answers. Teaching me is mutually beneficial.¡±


    (You sound like a legal document.)


    ¡®I know, I¡¯m hoping this is enough to convince it.¡¯


    The figure shifted it¡¯s weight to it¡¯s opposite foot, and considered his proposal for about a minute before responding.


    [I will teach you. However if you do not stay true to your promise, or if I suspect your intentions are hostile, I will not hesitate to kill you.]


    Jack nodded nonchalantly, and offered his hand, which was accepted, and their agreement was made.


    ¡°You probably already know, but my name is Jack. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    [Likewise. I am Valkyrie number one.]


    (Ooh! I bet it¡¯s a robot! How cool! I wonder if it can shoot lasers!)


    Ellis began making laser noises while Jack tried to think of something to call it, not liking the name Valkyrie, and not wanting to call it number one.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you Val. Do you have any complaints?¡±


    Jack broke off the handshake and asked while returning his hand to his side.


    [Call me what you like, I have no preference.]


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll call you Roboto.¡±


    [Please refrain from taunts.]


    Jack smiled at Val¡¯s response.


    <Two days pass>


    Jack spent the rest of that Saturday training under the relentless supervision and advice of Val, and found that his brain absorbed the information quickly, and he progressed rapidly. Jenny came by to check on him Saturday night, and found him drenched in sweat, and he then had to spend about an hour convincing her that he was not having sex, but just went on a jog. She left after telling him to invite her next time he went on a ¡°jog¡±, and laughed at Jack¡¯s bland response. On many occasions, Val would spar With Jack, and remind him how far he still has to go, and each time that happened his determination would be reignited. He slept only six hours the first night, and felt completely revived, and Val seemed to sleep as well, but only for about four hours. Jack silently thought Val might be recharging, but decided against asking to avoid pissing Val off.


    On Sunday night, Jack had made massive leaps in his combat abilities, and felt decently confident that he could take on a group of about ten furies without getting injured.


    ¡°Hey, Val.¡±


    Jack was covered in sweat from training, but had just finished a quick break and had recovered his strength. Val obviously wasn¡¯t effected by the training, though Jack suspected it was because he was the one doing all the work, but was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. Val is already strong, and he was sure it wasn¡¯t easy to get that strong, unless, of course, Val was a robot, in which case Jack considered it cheating.


    (You can¡¯t talk.)


    Ellis reminded him about his own physical advancements, and how he would only get stronger with time.


    [What do you need?]


    Val looked at Jack, who had finished his training for the day.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a quick match.¡±


    Jack wanted to test his new abilities one more time before he had to return to school, and which would reduce the time he could spend training. Val nodded in agreement, and took a ready stance, while picking up the spear that was previously leaning against a tree. Because training in his apartment was too risky, they would go out into the woods a short distance to train. Jack followed suit, lowering his center of gravity, shifting so his left while keeping his left hand open, and his right hand in fist. This technique was defensive, and relied on the opponent to attack first. His left hand would parry the attack, and the right hand would deliver a quick blow that would, hopefully, end the fight.


    [Ready?]


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Jack kept his poker face, hiding his thoughts and feelings from his opponent. He didn¡¯t really care if Val knew what he was thinking, but it was a good habit to get into when facing any opponent in a serious fight.


    Val wasted no time in attacking head on, relying primarily on speed and skill, but definitely not lacking in strength, swinging the spear around from the side in a blunt attack. Jack barely had time to react as Val closed the distance of about thirty feet in about half a second, but managed to jump a good seven feet in the air, giving Val a massive advantage. Val instantly changed her attack, and jabbed the spear up at Jack¡¯s abdomen with the blunt end of the spear. Jack then did something unexpected, stomped his foot directly on the tip of the spear, and knocked it out of Val¡¯s hands and into the ground. After losing his momentum, Jack stalled in the air for a second, and Val did not let that go to waste, instead of going for the spear, Val grabbed Jack¡¯s ankle, while narrowly avoiding a kick, and slammed him on the ground knocking the air out of him.


    The fight was over, and Jack coughed violently while rolling around in pain.


    [Well done. You disarmed me.]


    Val pulled the spear out of the ground, and sat down, and started cleaning it.


    (Hu hu hu. I never get tired of watching your ass get whipped.)


    Jack was lying on the ground with his chest heaving while Ellis taunted him. The moon was visible through the trees, reminding him of the time, and that he needed to get back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    Jack propped himself up on his elbows and looked over at Val, who was cleaning some dirt off her spear. Val nodded, and stood up, swinging the spear around to get the last of the dirt off.


    ¡°I have school in the morning.¡±

 Chapter 5: Learning Can Hurt part 5

    Jack woke up at four the next morning after only resting for a little over six hours, and fumbled for his phone which was charging on the night stand next to him. Despite the small amounts of sleep he is getting, he usually wakes up fully refreshed and ready to start his day even if he was exceedingly tired the night before. Jack¡¯s phone lit up as he unplugged it, and Jack squinted to read the letters on the screen.


    [Hey, Jack! Someone complimented you! Click here to-]


    Jack clicked the ¡®mark as read¡¯ tab below the message, and put his phone on the bed next to him as he sat up and wiped the sleep from his eyes. He heard some movement coming from outside his bedroom door.


    ¡°Val must be up.¡±


    Val required less sleep, if it was sleep, than Jack, and was usually up and moving around before he was. Jack stood up, and as he did, the door to his room opened, revealing a slim figure wearing a black military uniform and a sleek tinted mask.


    [Hello, Jack, I-]


    Val paused upon seeing Jack, looking down slightly before quickly exiting the room, and slamming the door shut. Jack stood there, dumbfounded for a second before looking down to see what Val was looking at.


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    Jack was naked. The previous night, he got the crap beaten out of him and was exhausted, so he just took off everything he was wearing and crawled in bed, though he didn¡¯t quite understand why Val was bothered by it. Could it be there was someone under that mask? If so, they were likely in desperate need of a shower.


    ¡°Speaking of which.¡±


    Jack grabbed some clothes, and headed toward the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist just in case he ran into Val on the way.


    Jack took his time in the shower, enjoying the free time he got from his new, more efficient body until he heard a light tapping on the bathroom door.


    [Jack, there is food for you on the table when you''re ready.]


    The same mechanical voice that Jack was getting used to sounded from the other side of the door, with some information that Jack was genuinely happy to hear.


    ¡°Thanks, Val. I really appreciate it.¡±


    He normally only got home cooked meals on the rare occasion Jenny came over to visit, aside from that, he usually only ate food that had ¡®instant¡¯ in the title, so he meant it when he said he appreciated it.


    Several minutes later, Jack got out of the shower, and dressed before heading towards his living room and the delicious food awaiting him. What greeted him was a plate of what looked like charcoal, but had a slightly purple-ish tint to it, next to mortar. Jack looked up at Val, who was proudly tossing a spatula up and down, then back at the food in front of him that seemed to emit a powerful bloodlust aura.


    Jack smiled nervously, and picked up a fork, slowly reaching towards the plate while trying not to catch the attention of the beast residing on it.


    Jack gave in, quickly scooping a lump of the charcoal-like stuff, and sticking it in his mouth. He had expected many things, but was still caught off guard when it was crunchy on the outside, and sticky on the inside, kind of like a burnt marshmallow, except it tasted like horse shit.


    (Oh my god, it looks like someone already ate it!)


    ¡°Urg.¡±


    Ellis comes in at the perfect time, nearly causing Jack to vomit with one of her snappy comments. Jack looked at Val, who was staring expectantly at him, who was trying to resist his gag reflex. He eventually choked it down with as little noise as possible before giving his report.


    ¡°It¡¯s good. I don¡¯t recognize it, what is it?¡±


    Jack was asking just in case he needed to call poison control, and he was not being dramatic either, he was genuinely worried.


    [I don¡¯t know. It was in your fridge, so I assumed it was food.]


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Jack had to keep his body from rejecting the food, he was a bachelor and there were a lot of things in his fridge that were no longer edible no matter what you did to it. Jack tried to keep his mind from drifting to the mayonnaise bottle that had been in there since he moved in, and that¡¯s when something tugged at his mind.


    ¡°Val, are you a robot?¡±


    Val, who had started washing the dishes without water, turned toward Jack.


    [No.]


    ¡°What is your gender?¡±


    [I am not going to tell you.]


    Hmm. No matter how Jack looked, he didn¡¯t seem to see any breasts, however Val definitely resembled a girl. Maybe it¡¯s just a feminine guy? Either way, if Val wasn¡¯t a robot, he didn¡¯t want to keep saying ¡°it¡±.


    ¡°Do you mind if I treat you like a girl? I would rather call you ¡®she¡¯ and ¡®her¡¯, rather than ¡®it¡¯.¡±


    [Do What you like.]


    Val returned to the dishes, and Jack snuck away before Val could catch him and guilt him into eating more.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    (You really know how to pull on a girl¡¯s heartstrings.)


    ¡®Please don¡¯t tease me.¡¯


    Jack had never had any sort of romantic relationship in his nineteen years of life on this planet, due to girl¡¯s general disinterest in him, and his inability to pursue a girl romantically since Jenny rejected him.


    (You¡¯re dense, you know that?)


    Jack shrugged of Ellis¡¯s observation and continued out of the building. He was lucky he got such an early start, his car was still smashed up and probably got towed for sitting in the park for too long, so he had to run to school. He was really fast, much faster than he realized, and didn¡¯t get tired as easily as he used to. He thought about what it will be like next time he ¡°upgrades¡±.


    ¡®Hey, Ellis.¡¯


    Jack weaved the through the park, running at the speed of an Olympic athlete while dodging the various people and objects that were scattered around.


    (What is it?)


    ¡®Do you think I can do the ¡°upgrade¡± thing again?¡¯


    (Upgrade sounds like a video game, call it ¡°magical enhancement¡±!¡±


    Ellis had spent too much time in his head, and was developing eighth-grade syndrome.


    ¡®Am I ready yet?¡¯


    (Call it ¡°Magical enhancement¡±!¡±)


    ¡®Why would I do that?¡¯


    (Because it sounds cool! Now, say it before I add ¡°of love¡± on the end.)


    Jack sighed.


    ¡®Fine, am I ready for the ¡°magical enhancement¡± yet?¡¯


    (No.)


    Jack vaulted over a small fence that was used as a border for the park, and continued along the sidewalk by the road.


    ¡®Why not? Didn¡¯t you say ¡°in a few days¡± a few days ago?¡¯


    (Yes, but you have injuries still, and forcing magic through your body could make those injuries worse. Wait until you¡¯ve healed.)


    ¡®Fine...¡¯


    Jack wanted to get stronger as fast as he could to avoid death by pissed off archangel, however he wasn¡¯t exactly looking forward to experiencing the enhancement process, so he decided to listen to Ellis.


    Jack arrived just before his first lecture at 5:30, although the teacher still wasn¡¯t here, and had probably overslept, so most of the students that arrived late were still fine. Around 5:40 Jenny walked in, and spotted Jack, who was sitting on the far side of the room in the back row, and approached him at a rapid pace.


    ¡°Hey, Jack! How did you get here? I came to pick you up, and you were already gone! Your not hiding anything, are you?¡±


    Jenny approached Jack until her face was inches from his, searching his eyes for any slight sign that he is lying. She knew him well enough to tell whether or not he was lying, so Jack didn¡¯t lie.


    ¡°I ran.¡±


    ¡°All the way from your apartment?¡±


    ¡°All the way from my apartment.¡±


    Jack matched Jenny¡¯s gaze and didn¡¯t let up no matter how those blue eyes tried to pry.


    ¡°Hmm? What about my other question? Are. You. Hiding. Any. Thing?¡±


    (Ooh, you so busted!)


    Ellis chimed in, loving every moment of Jenny¡¯s interrogation.


    ¡°Excuse me, everyone, please sit down.¡±


    The teacher, professor Newgate, showed up just in time, and Jenny released Jack from her stare, and sat down next to him while crossing her arms, leaning back, and making a cute pouting face. She typed something down on her IPad, then showed it to Jack.


    [You¡¯re going to explain everything.]


    Jack just nodded nervously, and pulled out his own iPad, opening it up to his textbook as professor Newgate began his lecture. Jack¡¯s mind was like a sponge, and witching fifteen minutes, he had finished reading, and understanding the section the professor was covering, and was now bored.


    ¡®Hey, Ellis.¡¯


    Jack turned to the once goddess of love to cure his boredom as the teacher continued his explanation.


    (Yes?)


    ¡®Will I be able to use magic in a way other than just ¡°physical enhancement¡±?¡¯


    (Yes, you already can, actually.)


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you tell me!?¡¯


    (Because you didn¡¯t ask.)


    Jack shook his head while thinking back to how handy magic would have been in a couple of situations.


    ¡®How?¡¯


    (It¡¯s actually pretty easy now that you can already sense and control your magical power, all you need to do is focus on one small point, and push some of that magic out.)


    Jack looked over at Jenny, who was completely distracted with her studies, and not paying attention to him before holding out one finger in front of his face. He concentrated for several seconds, focusing on the stream of magic inside of him, and focusing it on the tip of his finger. There was a small burning sensation which disappeared in an instant, followed by a small, pink string that was barely visible to the naked eye extending out of his finger.


    (Tadaa!)


    Ellis exclaimed as the three-inch-long string flicked and flowed as if dancing to an inaudible rhythm as Jack looked at it feeling disappointed.


    ¡®What am I supposed to do with this?¡¯


    (Watch what happens when it touches something.)


    Ellis responded with a excited voice. Jack brought his hand down causally, while looking around to make sure no one was watching, then let the thread touch the unoccupied chair next to him. He watched as the string sliced through the wood while releasing a small wisp of smoke without any resistance. Jack watched in awe until the chair broke and fell to the ground with a small, but disruptive crash. The professor glanced in his direction for a second before returning to his lecture, while Jenny stared for a little longer, but eventually returned to her notes.


    ¡®What was that?¡¯


    (Hu hu hu. You now have a taste of my immense power! What you did was create a small thread from pure energy, I call it the String of Love!)


    Ellis proudly explained the phenomenon, even going as far as to give it a name.


    ¡®Ah, I see...¡¯


    Jack studied the thread with interest for several minutes, occasionally letting it drift into nothingness, before creating it again. He repeated this process over and over again until he thought he could call it up with relative ease. The class passed by in a flash, and Jack picked up his iPad and prepared to go home, thankful that he only had the one lecture today, when Jenny turned toward him.


    ¡°I have another class to get to, but I¡¯ll head to your apartment later. Be ready to explain yourself.¡±


    Jenny was more than slightly intimidating, and Jack couldn¡¯t help but to swallow nervously at her words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll explain when you get there.¡±


    Jack really didn¡¯t want to involve Jenny in everything that was going on, because she couldn¡¯t do anything about it and would just end up worrying. He packed his stuff up, and began his walk home, walking this time so he could practice creating the magical thread. He arrived at about 9:00, and was greeted by Val, who looked like she was about to leave.


    [Hello, Jack.]


    Val was standing by the door, clearly on her way out.


    ¡°Hey, Val. Going somewhere?¡±


    [There are a couple of furies that have been acting up near here, I am going to take care of them.]


    Jack stepped to the side to allow Val to pass before inquiring.


    ¡°Can I come?¡±


    Val walked by Jack and paused, then looked back.


    [You may, however it may be dangerous.]


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, I need real fighting experience anyway which is hard to get in a safe environment.¡±


    Val turned away and began walking, while Jack followed closely.


    [The furies you fought were all lower-class, and one mid-class. Make sure to keep alert because today there was a reported hive of twelve lower-class, nine mid-class, and likely one upper-class.]


    Jack didn¡¯t quite understand what the classes were, but remembered the furies he fought, and his the one that was wearing the employee hat was on a different level than the three old men. Despite his training, Jack was certain he¡¯d die if he took them all on at once, and felt thankful that Val was there. The two exited the building through his back window, and Val turned invisible, which caught Jack off guard, but, he figured that made sense, since all that gear was likely not just for decoration. Jack listened to Val¡¯s steps, and could sense her movements, so he was able to follow, although he got some funny looks when people saw him climb out his window.


    The pair took off running down the sidewalk at an impressive speed.


    ¡®This is going to be fun.¡¯


    (Please avoid doing something stupid...)

 Chapter 6: Novice Monster Hunter part 1

    It took several minutes to arrive at their destination. Jack and Val now stood in a large, open area in a back alley, tall buildings blocked out the morning sun, which casted long, ominous shadows. Trash cans, sewer holes, back exits, and many other things created many places for a enemy to hide, and Jack couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was being watched.


    (Be careful, Jack, I can sense a lot of magic darting around in the shadows.)


    Ellis warned Jack, but he was already alert, his senses heightened and his eyes scanning his surroundings. From what he could tell, most of them were in front of the pair, while several that seemed to be moving faster than the others had already gotten behind them, and were waiting in anticipation. Bright green eyes became visible, and the tension grew as the furies surrounded their prey.


    [As I suspected, they are reacting to you, Jack. You may want to submit control to your little friend.]


    ¡®Ah, that¡¯s right. Val still thinks I¡¯m possessed.¡¯


    Jack still hadn¡¯t given her any information about himself yet, and thought now was as good a time as any to tell her.


    ¡°Ah, yeah... I¡¯m not possessed.¡±


    That caught Val¡¯s attention, and she turned toward Jack. The furies took advantage of her distraction, and the assault began, with the furies coming from every direction at once. Val quickly recovered from her shock, and turned to face the threat, while Jack turned the opposite direction to face the onslaught coming from behind. One of the first ones to arrive was a woman in her forties wearing a white dressed that was stained red, looking very similar to a zombie, followed by two robust men of a similar age wearing suits.


    Jack dodged the woman¡¯s initial attack, which he saw through easily thanks to Val¡¯s training, and brought his knee to her ribcage. With a resounding crunch, the woman flew off to Jack¡¯s left, and was replaced by the two that were following close behind, who seemed to become enraged at Jack¡¯s actions.


    ¡®It¡¯s not like I like it, I was raised being told to never hit a girl, but I¡¯m pretty sure this is an exceptional circumstance.¡¯


    Jack faced them head on, and they attacked simultaneously, one going down, while the other went up, and both bringing their claws around. Jack didn¡¯t waste a moment, and stepped on the face of the one that went down, and used it¡¯s momentum to propel himself up at the other one. When he came close, the one that went up slashed at him in an attempt to rid him of his head, but Jack had anticipated this, and grabbed it¡¯s arm, slamming it down on the other one below him. Neither was moving, but Jack brought his heel down on the top one¡¯s head just for good measure, spraying blood all over the concrete.


    Jack turned to look at the others that were trailing behind, hesitant to approach after Jack¡¯s display, not to mention Val who Jack could hear was doing just fine against the others. A few of the hesitating furies broke off from the rest, and began to charge, and the others soon followed suit, counting 9 in total. Jack didn¡¯t wait, he dashed at them, catching the first one off-guard and literally knocking it¡¯s lights out before moving to the next one. One by one, he beat each of them, landing hits in critical places, and blowing them away to the afterlife.


    The small fries lay in pieces on the ground, and some of the more unfortunate ones on the walls, while the pair stood over them, Jack panting and sweating, mostly due to adrenaline, and Val showing no signs of exhaustion.


    ¡°Did you get the big one?¡±


    Jack asked Val after a few moments passed, referring to the one Val called an ¡°upper-class fury¡±.


    [No, it may have left when it saw it¡¯s underlings die. We are fortunate, upper-class furies are often many times more dangerous than mid-class ones.]


    (Jack, there is a magical signature nearby, and it seems to be much stronger than the furies you just faced.)


    Ellis informed Jack just as he was about to relax, causing him to tense up. Noticing his reaction Val cocked her head to the side slightly.


    [Are you alright?]


    Jack heard something stir underground, and felt a faint vibration on the undersides of his feet.


    ¡°We¡¯re not done.¡±


    Jack squared himself, putting his left hand forward while leaving it open, and putting his right fist back and prepared to fight. The ground shook and cracked before a portion of the concrete collapsed down into the sewer, releasing a cloud of dust. The dust settled quickly, revealing a fury that was slowly walking up the path created by the rubble. There was definitely something different about this one, it walked confidently, and didn¡¯t seem quite so beast-like, but the glowing green eyes, and long, sharp claws ruined the image. As the fury came closer, he saw a man that didn¡¯t look much older than himself, and was wearing a nice, black tuxedo that was ruined due to the blood that had splattered on it.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Hello there!¡±


    The fury spoke with an unearthly voice, as if restraining itself from indulging in it¡¯s natural instinct.


    ¡°I apologize, but I seem to have bit off more than I can chew, so I¡¯m afraid I will have to deal with you quickly.¡±


    The fury apologized politely, in a rather cocky manner.


    (Jack! Something¡¯s following the talking fury, and it¡¯s big! You need to leave, like right now!)


    As if to prove Ellis¡¯s point, a loud roar echoed through the hole the fury was exiting, and vibrated Jack¡¯s stomach. A blue light flashed somewhere deep in the tunnel, and all the buildings in the area went dark. Jack heard something in Val¡¯s direction, and turned to see what it was, but only saw Val laying limp on the ground. Jack instantly crouched down next to her, while remaining wary of the creature across from him.


    ¡°Val, are you alright?¡±


    Val didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°We need to get out of here.¡±


    Jack tried to lift Val up, but found it surprisingly difficult, she was heavier than she looked. Though it may just be the suit.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve really got to go now, and your friend is likely dead if she relies on any sort of electrical system to survive.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Jack tried to pry for answers, but the monster just raised his hands in the air, signaling that he didn¡¯t know. What an asshole.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just leave? We don¡¯t need to fight, and I¡¯m sure neither of us wants to be here when whatever¡¯s chasing you arrives.¡±


    Jack then tried to appeal to this creature¡¯s sense of reason, noticing it was different from the others, and hoping it had enough self-preservation to let them go.


    ¡°I suppose we don¡¯t have to fight...¡±


    The creature began to walk towards Jack slowly, a wicked smile forming across it¡¯s face.


    ¡°...but I really want to.¡±


    The fury dashed head first at an incredible speed towards Jack, giving him almost no time to react, and was only able to throw his left hand in between them before it struck. An intense pain screamed in his mind as he felt the blade-like claws dig into his flesh, and slide down his forearm almost to his elbow, and Jack threw himself backward in between two buildings. Jack gripped his left arm in pain, and forced himself to his feet, leaning heavily on the building to his right as the fury¡¯s smile grew wider, knowing it had inflicted significant damage.


    Jack¡¯s mind was racing, coming up with a plan to defeat this monster, because despite his previous encounter, Jack could now tell that this was a real monster. Unlike those others that attacked out of instinct like an animal, this creature knew exactly what it was doing, and loved it. The fury slowly licked Jack¡¯s blood off it¡¯s blade as it¡¯s green eyes stared at Jack with the look of a predator that had cornered it¡¯s prey. Jack had an idea, and looked at the concrete wall beside him, noticing that the corner was heavily damaged from a stray fury¡¯s body, and practically falling apart. Jack let a resigned smile appear on his face as his left arm hung down.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d rather not see it.¡±


    Jack said before turning around, and painfully bringing his left hand up to rest against the damaged concrete. Jack focused on the magical power inside of him, collecting it on the tip of his finger before slowly pushing it out into a three-inch-long thread that was barely visible to the naked eye.


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    The creature who had paused for a moment, disappointed in his prey¡¯s lack of willpower, responded. The fury dashed once again at Jack, and as soon as he heard it¡¯s fee move, his left hand¡¯s fingers dug into the concrete before flying backwards, flinging dust and rocks towards the attacking monster. Jack heard it scream in rage as the stones and dust as it assaulted it¡¯s eyes, but he was already moving, leaping towards the enemy that he was now facing, and raised his right finger towards it. Jack felt this finger come in contact with the fury¡¯s head, sliding backwards across the center and cutting a three-inch-deep slice from it¡¯s face, to the back of it¡¯s head.


    Jack passed over the creature, still maintaining the momentum of his lunge, and both fighters tumbled in opposite directions of each other. The fight was over, and Jack won. Jack, who was barely able to move crawled over to where Val was collapsed, and tapped on her helmet.


    ¡°You alive?¡±


    There was a pause.


    ¡°I am impressed you won, that would have been a challenge for me.¡±


    Jack heard a muffled voice through the helmet, assuring him that his complaining had not died, and he sighed in relief. The sigh wasn¡¯t just because Val was alive, though that was the biggest reason, it was also because he had chosen the right gender. He had been referring to Val as a girl this entire time without knowing her actual gender, but the voice that came out was undeniably feminine.


    ¡°(Uuu...)


    ¡°Ellis?¡±


    Ellis made a weird noise that caught Jack¡¯s attention.


    (Uuuwaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!!!!)


    Ellis then burst into tears, and Jack became flustered, not knowing what to do. How was he supposed to help, it¡¯s not like he could give her a hug or anything.


    (I-I was sooo scared! A-hic-and I thought Jack was going to-hic-die, and I didn¡¯t want to-hic-say anything so you could-hic-focus and I was sooo scaaared!)


    Ellis resumed crying... loudly.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry Ellis, I won¡¯t die.¡¯


    (Hic...hic...hic...)


    Ellis quieted down, and now only her hiccups could be heard. Jack wondered how something without a body could hiccup, but put it out of his mind, that wasn¡¯t necessary right now.


    ¡®Well, at least not as long as I got an overbearing goddess of love stuck in my head.¡¯


    Ellis was quiet now, but the silence was soon replaced by the booming noise of powerful footsteps slamming against the ground.


    ¡°Jack, you are too injured to fight, you will die if you stay.¡±


    Val told Jack, not advising him to leave, or asking him to stay, just informing him of what will happen if he doesn¡¯t leave.


    ¡®Ellis, what¡¯s happening?¡¯


    (Ah-oh! Right! The thing coming is an orc, it is the second stage of evolution for a goblin, and you will definitely die if you stay!)


    ¡®I can¡¯t carry Val, and I¡¯m definitely not leaving her.¡¯


    Jack assessed his destroyed left arm, and slowly started forming a plan.


    (Well, you have to or else you¡¯ll both die.)


    Jack winced, he had finished forming his plan, but it wasn¡¯t going to feel good.


    ¡®How long before it gets here?¡¯


    (Forty-five seconds if it doesn¡¯t speed up... why? What are you thinking?)


    Jack laid down next to Val, and put his right hand behind his head in a comfortable position, while cradling his left arm.


    ¡®I¡¯m thinking of a third option.¡¯


    (Jack! Don¡¯t you dare!)


    Ellis tried to talk him out of it, but his mind was made up, he was not going to leave anyone behind. Jack opened his eyes.


    ¡®Damn, this is going to hurt.¡¯


    A thought ran through his mind before he concentrated, feeling the magic flowing inside of him, following it¡¯s direction, then forced it backwards, and into his system.

 Chapter 7: Novice Monster Hunter part 2

    Pain courses through Jack¡¯s body, blocking out every sense and thought while every cell in his body screamed in pain. Jack¡¯s bones were ground to dust, and reformed, his muscles, tendons, nerves, and organs exploded before reassembling themselves. Jack focused on staying conscious, while desperately writhing on the ground, unable to even scream as his body rapidly evolved. Many seconds passed and Jack stopped moving, laying silently next to Val, who couldn¡¯t see him due to her inability to turn her head.


    ¡°Jack?¡±


    Val asked cautiously through her mask, confused as to what was wrong with him. There was no response. The booming steps drew closer, shaking the ground beneath the pair of bodies lying on the ground, and Val prepared herself to die. She knew that she would die one day, and probably not of natural causes, and was just thankful she died by the hands of a monster than in her sleep, it fit her personality better.


    Valkyrie number one had always been alone, not because of some tragic backstory, but because of her personality. She preferred to be alone, not needing to worry about someone else¡¯s well-being, not having anyone to lose, or anyone being sad when she died. Over the past few days she had grown accustomed to being around Jack, and had even started to care about him, but he was dead now, and no amount of caring could bring him back. She regretted nothing, therefore she had a good life and a satisfying death, there was no reason to look back.


    Val told herself these things as tears streamed down her face, reacting to the pain she felt in the pit of her stomach. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking of Jack, memories of conversations they had, the bland jokes he made, and how he treated her like a human, rather than a robot. She didn¡¯t fear death, but she didn¡¯t want Jack to die, and all she could do was lay on the ground, weighed down by the this damned suit that had saved her life on many occasions.


    A creature about ten feet tall with grey skin and tusks approached Val wielding the trunk of a tree that was about three feet in diameter, and eight feet long as it¡¯s weapon, and wearing only a loincloth. The orc gave out a deafeningly loud roar that filled Val¡¯s ears and raised the trunk over it¡¯s head. Val thought she noticed a slight movement next to her, but was distracted by the tree trunk descending rapidly towards her. She felt a violent jerk, and closed her eyes in anticipation of what comes next.


    However Val did not die, and decided, hesitantly, to open her eyes, and what she saw through her tear-filled eyes were beautiful pink irises surrounding a black pupil. They were Jack¡¯s eyes. He had apparently moved her when the orc attacked, and was now leaning over her, and resting her head on the ground gently. After he finished, he stood, and that¡¯s when Val noticed something off; his left arm was hanging limply, and moved more like a noodle than an arm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Jack said calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure nothing bad happens to you.¡±


    Jack turned to face the orc, who roared in frustration, beating the tree against the concrete which let out a series of vibrations into the ground. The orc¡¯s eyes, which had been black previously, began emitting a sapphire blue light, staring at Jack with a twisted, angry expression. Sparks lit up the orc¡¯s body, flowing through the tree trunk, and into the ground, shooting out occasionally to strike nearby objects as the orc began to approach it¡¯s target. Jack edged away from Val to keep her safe from stray attacks, and began moving towards the orc, his own irises glowing pink in defiance.


    A bolt of electricity lashed out towards the boy, and struck the ground where he stood, but Jack had already moved, faster than a normal human could see, he shot straight toward the monster. The orc barely had time to bring the tree trunk up to use as a shield, but the orc¡¯s opponent was much smarter than the beasts it had fought in the past, and sidestepped the tree coated in electricity, and continued the attack. Jack stood directly in front of his opponent, who stared down in shock at his immense speed, his face blank and almost dazed, swaying back and forth as if he was barely standing, his left arm just a lump of flesh. The orc smiled seeing Jack¡¯s weak state, and chuckled, bringing it¡¯s leg around in a sweeping motion. The boy vanished. The orc¡¯s eyes widened as Jack¡¯s knee came in contact with it¡¯s nose, causing it¡¯s face to dip inward and it¡¯s skull to shatter into it¡¯s brain. The electricity exploded out, knocking the boy straight up in the air, and blowing the orc¡¯s head in every direction, coating it¡¯s surroundings in assorted internal structures.


    Jack¡¯s body fell to the ground next to the orc, landing on his feet, and standing up straight before stumbling, too weak to stand as the adrenaline disappeared. Val, whose movement was returned when the orc died, quickly approached him, catching him as he collapsed unconscious.


    <Later>


    Jack woke with a start, sitting up rapidly as the adrenaline hit his system, memories flood back into his head as he remembered his situation. Jack¡¯s eyes searched for the monster that should be nearby, but instead of the dreary back alley he was expecting, what he saw was the inside of his room. He spent a couple of minutes controlling his breathing to settled down as he realized there was no threat, laid his head back down on his pillow, and rolled over on his right side, closing his eyes. His nose tingled as warm air collided with his face, and he reached up to scratch his nose with his right hand, when it collided with something warm and soft, almost like a heated cushion.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    In confusion Jack opened his eyes, and, two inches from his face were a pair of eyes, which were closed and sleeping. His eyes followed the person¡¯s figure down, seeing a small frame wearing only one of his shirts hanging loosely on a delicate body that looks like it could break with the slightest touch. That was obviously not true though since his hand had brushed up against this person¡¯s stomach, pushing the shirt up, and painting a pretty erotic picture.


    ¡°Hmmmn...¡±


    The person stirred, silver hair that hung almost down to the figure¡¯s knees shifted as the breathing became deeper, and the owner moved. The person lifted themselves up, with still closed eyes, and Jack got a clean view down the shirt. While still underdeveloped, it was undeniably a girl. Jack removed his hand, and tried to slide away, but the girl, who had lifted herself up in a daze collapsed on him, and returned to her deep sleep while clenching her fists against his chest, which was heavily bandaged, and resting her face on her hands.


    ¡°Jack? Are you here?¡±


    Oh shit, Jenny was here, and looking for him, if she walked in on this, she might kill him. He looked down at the sleeping beauty who was sleeping peacefully with a blank expression, and tried to figure out what to do.


    ¡°H-hey, you have to wake up.¡±


    Jack placed his hands on the girl¡¯s shoulders, and whispered in her ear. She stirred, and her eyes flickered open, looking up at his face, while turning bright red, and started trembling.


    ¡®Oh no... this is going to end poorly.¡¯


    Jack braced himself for a scream, but nothing happened. He looked back, and only saw her eyes become glassy, and tears began to form at the base of her eyes. Jack noticed her eyes were not a normal color, they had a golden irises, which alarmed him a little bit, but they showed no signs of hostility, so he remained calm.


    ¡°Jack?¡±


    Jenny was still looking for him, and his apartment wasn¡¯t that big, so it wouldn¡¯t take long before she would discover them.


    ¡°Um... I don¡¯t know who you are, but you need to hide, like right now.¡±


    The girl considered his words, blinking away the tears that were forming while he anxiously waited, before shaking her head vigorously, and wrapping her arms around him. Jack stared for a second, and then quickly tried to pry her off, being careful not to hurt her, but her grip just tightened in defiance.


    ¡°Jack, you wouldn¡¯t believe the kind of day I-¡°


    Jenny opened Jack¡¯s bedroom door, and froze, a shocked look on her face, that rapidly turned into anger that was poorly hidden by a smiling face.


    ¡°Jack... who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡¯oh, shit.¡¯


    (Jack! Run! Enemy! Enemy!)


    Jenny was far scarier than any monster he had seen so far, approaching at a terrifying speed, hence Ellis¡¯s warning. Jack slid to the back of his bed, and propped his back on the wall behind him, raising his hands in submission. Jenny stopped, eyes growing wide as her anger melted, and the blanket fell away. Jack looked at her face for a moment, then followed her gaze to his left arm, or lack there of. Just below his elbow, his arm was wrapped with a white bandage, but ended much sooner than it was supposed to. His arm was cut off at the top of the forearm.


    ¡°Jack...¡±


    This was the first time Jack had ever seen Jenny become speechless, but he didn¡¯t blame her, he couldn¡¯t quite grasp it himself.


    (I told you, if you forced magic through your body while injured, there would be consequences.)


    Ellis¡¯s voice was soft as she explained what happened, but Jack already knew, and had prepared for this outcome when he decided to fight the orc. At least he¡¯s not dead, and compared to the options he had during the fight, this was a small sacrifice.


    ¡°My...fault...¡±


    The silver-haired girl¡¯s voice caught the others¡¯ attention, drawing their gaze. She had still not let go of Jack, and was hugging him tightly with her face against his chest.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault Jack lost his arm.¡±


    She spoke clearly the second time through, and Jack thought Jenny¡¯s head was going to explode as her angry-but-smiling face returned, this time directed at the girl, who cowered , burying her face in his chest. Jack thought hard, trying to remember what happened before he passed out, and quickly grasped some of his memories, just flashes of an orc, followed by pain, then Val standing over him.


    ¡®Speaking of which... Where is Val? She must have survived since I made it back home...¡¯


    His eyes drifted over to the girl next to him, but he shook his head, dismissing the ridiculous thought.


    ¡®She said it was her fault I lost my arm. Surely the orc didn¡¯t turn into this... them maybe she was controlling the orc? No... she likely wouldn¡¯t let me live after completely disabling me, not to mention Val wouldn¡¯t trust her enough to bring her here.¡¯


    Jack tried to figure out the connection between himself and this girl as Jenny slowly approached them with killing intent directed towards the girl, and that¡¯s when his he spoke again.


    ¡°I was going to die, and he sacrificed his arm to help me.¡±


    The girl seemed to have collected herself a little, and spoke with a flat, but not exactly uncute, voice.


    Jenny¡¯s killing intent lessened. Maiming intent popped into Jack¡¯s head, but he decided against saying this joke out loud.


    ¡°Val?¡±


    Jack looked at the girl, who lifted her face and matched his gaze.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You do know her!?¡±


    Jenny¡¯s anger was beginning to fade into surprise as shocking revelations kept on popping out.


    ¡°Yes, I live with him.¡±


    Val responded before Jack could with the truth, blunt and unashamed. Jenny just stood there for several seconds, looking back and forth between the two, a wicked smile forming across her face as an idea popped into her head. She approached the bed, and wedged her arm between the two in in bed, then proceeded to pry Val off Jack. It took several minutes, but Jenny, with the help of Jack were able to pry her off. Val¡¯s face remained unchanged, as Jenny carried her under one of her arms.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get her some clothes. When I come back, we are going to have a talk... for real this time, no matter what your missing, or who you have in your bed, got it?¡±


    Jack nodded, submitting to Jenny¡¯s demands. Jenny turned and walked out of the room, with Val under her arm, closing the door behind her.


    ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡±


    Val asked once Jack was out of earshot. Jenny praised the girl in her mind, she had already figured out her personality, but she still didn¡¯t understand her obsession.


    ¡°No. Jack trusts you, and that is something he doesn¡¯t give out easily. What I want is to talk.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    Jenny¡¯s smile returned.


    ¡°About Jack.¡±

 Chapter 7.5: Not-So-Magical Enhancement

    <Jack and Ellis>


    After the girls left, Jack was left alone, well, alone with Ellis.


    (You should keep an eye on that one, there¡¯s something off about her.)


    ¡®Who, Jenny?¡¯


    (Yes.)


    Ellis seemed wary of Jack¡¯s childhood friend, but Jack himself had always thought of her as a normal friend, though he had nothing to compare it to aside from what he saw in movies. He thought about Ellis¡¯s words for a couple of seconds, but didn¡¯t really pursue the subject.


    ¡®If she was weird to a point that it got serious, I would have noticed by now.¡¯


    (You¡¯d think so...)


    Jack took a deep breath, and stretched, getting used to his new body. It didn¡¯t really feel like his body anymore since the magical enhancement and losing an arm, and he figured he should get used to it quickly to avoid any accidents. Jack swung his legs off the bed, and out from under the covers, firmly planting them on the floor.


    (You shouldn¡¯t move yet, your arm isn¡¯t the only thing that was hurt, you know.)


    Ellis referenced the bandages that were wrapped around his torso with a trace of worry in her voice. Jack rubbed the bandages, feeling the sore muscles healing underneath.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, I just want to go for a little walk, nothing stressful, I promise.¡±


    Jack stood, walked over to his dresser, ignoring the fact that his clothes had been changed for him, and began to change into something that would suitably cover up his injuries.


    <Jenny and Val>


    ¡°So...¡±


    Jenny and Val were riding in Jenny¡¯s car when the conversation started.


    ¡°What is the relationship between you and Jack?¡±


    On hearing Jack¡¯s name, Val blushed slightly, but kept her composure, knowing the person next to her was not to be trifled with.


    ¡°Before I answer, I need information on how much you know about Jack¡¯s current circumstance.¡±


    Jenny did not expect demands from Val, but decided to humor her, curiosity overwhelming her instinct to dominate weaklings. Jenny gripped the steering wheel, and replied.


    ¡°I know he keeps on getting hurt, that he is hesitant to tell me about it, which probably means it is dangerous, and that you play a part in it all. I¡¯m going to get answers though, he hates lying to me, so all I have to do is corner him.¡±


    Jenny had very good reasons to dislike Val, but she had decided not to harm her, trusting her because Jack trusted her was a good enough reason in her mind. Val had gathered enough information to understand the basic relationship between Jack and Jenny, and made her decision.


    ¡°I will tell you about myself, however Jack¡¯s story is for him to tell, and I will not share anything he may not want you to know.¡±


    Jenny nodded in satisfaction, she had already made up her mind to glean the information from Jack later, and only had interest in Val¡¯s story at the moment.


    ¡°My name is Valkyrie Number One, nicknamed Val, and I was sent to observe Jack for certain reasons. Recently we were put in a life-and-death situation where Jack could have left me to save himself, but didn¡¯t. He stayed behind and put his life at risk to save me, losing his arm in the process, so now I owe him a life and an arm.¡±


    There was a brief silence and Jenny thought she may have just heard an automated message due to the abrupt and informative explanation she just received. That¡¯s when something occurred to her.


    ¡°I get the ¡®owing him your life¡¯ part, but I don¡¯t really understand how you plan on paying him back for the arm...¡±


    Val let a light smile cross her face, breaking free from the usual poker face she normally kept.


    ¡°I had spare parts.¡±


    <Jack and Ellis>


    On his way out, Jack noticed Val¡¯s suit laying across hit table with the back opened and facing up, and he stopped, staring at it for a couple of seconds.


    (What is it?)


    Ellis asked after several moments passed.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡®I really want to try it on...¡¯


    Jack surprised himself with such a childish desire, but looking at his strong Val was when she wore it, he was curious how much stronger he would be if he tried it on. He stared for a few more moments before Ellis interjected.


    (It¡¯s too small..)


    Jack¡¯s dream shattered, realizing Val only came up to his bicep, and that suit could never fit him no matter how much he tried to stuff himself in. Jack sighed, and began to turn away when something caught his eye.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    On the table, half-covered by the suit was an object that looked smooth and kind of resembled flesh. Jack reached over and picked it up, noticing it¡¯s weight which was decently heavy, but light enough not to hinder him. Jack didn¡¯t have to look closely to recognize it was an arm, not a normal arm, of course, but a robotic arm that looked like the real thing. Jack quickly thanked Val in his mind before attaching it to his elbow, after rolling back the sleeve that he was planning on using to hide his missing arm and pulling off the bandages, and watched as the mechanism wrapped around his elbow and fasten tightly to his arm.


    To his disappointment, the arm hung limply at his side, he was still unable to control it. As he analyzed his new arm, he noticed a blue sticker stuck to the palm, with a picture indicating a certain spot on the upper part of the spine. Jack quickly removed the sticker, and ran to the bathroom, using the mirror to attach the sticker to the designated spot.


    ¡°Ow.¡±


    After he attached it, a shock ran through his body, and reached the artificial arm, causing several blue veins to appear through the ¡®flesh¡¯. Jack focused on the arm, picturing a fist in his mind, and it responded, obeying his command beautifully and closing into a fist. Jack had a short celebration in his mind before holding his hand up in front of his face with a smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what you can do.¡±


    <Jenny and Val>


    ¡°You said you were sent... who sent you?¡±


    Jenny had arrived at her house, which wasn¡¯t very far from Jack¡¯s, and had brought Val in.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    Jenny expected this response, and, while she didn¡¯t like it, figured pursuing the subject was pointless. She brought the girl into her room, planning to lend her some old clothes. After they entered,Val¡¯s eyes grew wide as she recognized the room while Jenny just ignored her reaction and continued over to her dresser, and started digging through it.


    ¡°Why were you in his bed this morning?¡±


    Val blushed and looked away.


    ¡°Its hard to tend to wounds with my suit on.¡±


    There was a brief silence before Jenny returned to searching for clothes. A few moments passed, and she finally found some suitable clothes, then tossed them at the girl. She didn¡¯t quite understand what Val meant, but also didn¡¯t really care, she had something else on her mind.


    ¡°Your answer was pretty vague earlier, what did you mean by ¡°spare parts¡±?¡±


    Val was looking at Jenny with a clam expression, now even more wary about their conversation since seeing Jenny¡¯s room.


    ¡°That is for Jack to tell you, however I am interested in your room.¡±


    Jenny forgot her question, and immediately brightened up at the mention of her room.


    ¡°Like it? It took a while to get perfect, and I have to constantly update it, but it is very accurate.¡±


    ¡°Are you in love with Jack?¡±


    The question came out bluntly, a hint of curiosity slipping into her voice. Jenny looked at her with a mischievous smile, and took a step towards Val.


    ¡°Why do you ask? Are you interested in him?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Val responded without any delay, matching Jenny¡¯s gaze unfalteringly. Jenny stared for a while, her smile growing wider, and handed her the clothes she he¡¯d picked out, and then stepped back to give her room to change.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what most would call ¡°love¡±, but I consider it love. I want him to be happy, and I will not allow anyone unworthy to steal his heart. So far I have been the only one that could make him happy, so I was going to marry him when he finished college.¡±


    Val finished putting the clothes on quickly, though they were slightly too big for her.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    Jenny resumed the attack, approaching Val closely with deeply interested eyes.


    ¡°I...¡±


    Val paused and considered the question, rubbing her chin with her hand.


    ¡°I owe him my life, so my life is his to do with as he pleases. I do not mind this, so I may be in love, but I am still uncertain.¡±


    Jenny marveled at the calculated response, Val reminded her of Jack, and she was beginning to like her. She placed her hand on Val¡¯s shoulder, and brought her face close, making sure there was no trace of lies hidden in her eyes.


    ¡°I have a proposal.¡±


    <Jack and Ellis>


    Jack had spent about thirty minutes playing with his new toy, stopping only when Ellis decided to ruin his fun with logic.


    (This is good now, but after you do another magical enhancement, this will be too weak, and will likely break if you try to use it in battle.)


    Jack looked at his new arm in disappointment, watching the occasional electrical signal light up the skin with a light blue flash. An idea popped into Jack¡¯s head.


    ¡®How does the magical enhancement know my anatomy?¡¯


    Ellis paused, likely thinking about how to answer. While younger than Jack, she had a deeper understanding of magic, being born with it, and was even taught a couple of things from the other gods while learning to control her power.


    (This is unprecedented, a human inheriting the power of a god without a blessing has never happened before, and will likely never happen again. That being said, from my limited knowledge, the magic scans your current biology, then it integrates itself into certain places, and enhances the area around it according to it¡¯s purpose. Simply put, it scans you, then enhances everything in your body.)


    ¡°That makes sense, but how does it know the difference between my body, and the things that are just in contact with my body?¡±


    If it just scanned everything, then his clothes would likely go through some sort of enhancement as well, but as far as he knows, only his body was effected.


    (Your body has small channels that magic flows through, similar to veins and arteries.)


    ¡°Thanks, that was all I needed to know.¡±


    Jack returned his attention back to the arm, and began to concentrate. Jack was almost immediately able to feel the flow of magic inside him, and his control of it had gotten exponentially better. He focused on the flow, feeling where it ended in his arm, and he opened his eyes, watching the veins of electricity flow inside the mechanical arm. Jack began to push the flow outward, expanding the flow and controlling it to spread into the robotic arm, making sure the magic lined up with the electrical current. A few moments passed, and pink light began to glow from the arm, replacing the electricity inside with a new form of energy, a magical energy. After several moments, the light faded, and Jack wiped the sweat from his forehead with his right arm, smiling in satisfaction.


    ¡°It worked.¡±


    Jack could feel the flow of magic flowing through his body, and his new arm, accepting it as a part of him.

 Chapter 8: Novice Monster Hunter part 3

    Jack studied the arm, admiring his handiwork, while noticing the differences. He moved it around, and could feel the difference in fine motor movements that had been lacking previously, and noticed he could even sense when he touched things. It wasn¡¯t like feeling something, more like his brain was notified when something came in contact with it, and to be honest, it felt a little unnatural, though it did allow him to measure how much strength he used when performing various tasks.


    ¡°I wonder...¡±


    Jack held his index finger out on his right hand, pointing away from him, and created a magic thread. It came out with significantly less concentration than in the past, and grew many times longer than last time, stretching over six feet long, and dangling to the floor, cutting into his floor, and setting his carpet on fire.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    Jack stomped out the fire quickly, which was, thankfully, no bigger than the size of a lighter. After confirming what would happen normally with his magic, he held up his left hand, the mixture of magic and machine that was the first of it¡¯s kind.


    (This may not be a very good idea, Jack.)


    Ellis stated her thoughts, knowing it would not hinder his curiosity, and resigned herself as she prepared to watch. Jack smiled for a moment.


    ¡®Bad ideas make the best stories.¡¯


    (Or the worst deaths...)


    Jack ignored Ellis¡¯s retort, and continued with the experiment, focusing on the magic in the mechanical arm to a single point on his finger, and pushing it out, creating a long, thin thread. This one was different than the other one though, instead of just being a light-pink thread that looked normal to the naked eye, this one had sparks around it that crackled and buzzed along the length of the string. Jack waved it around slightly, and the sparks left a trail of where the thread travelled, which just made him want to move it more.


    (It seems when your magic accepted this new arm, it also accepted whatever was powering it. This is a successful mixture of science and magic. I can think of many gods that would be very interested in this!)


    Ellis wondered at Jack¡¯s newfound power, but Jack himself didn¡¯t seem to hear, he was too busy trying to think of somewhere he could test his limits without damaging anything important or getting noticed.


    (I know what you¡¯re thinking, and I just happen to sense quite a few furies not far from here. You can test your abilities, and if there are this many in one place, it is likely somewhere remote where you won¡¯t be discovered.)


    ¡®You aren¡¯t worried?¡¯


    Jack was surprised Ellis would suggest something like fighting, but then looked at the electrical thread in front of him, and figured it likely wasn¡¯t dangerous anymore.


    (Of course I¡¯m worried, but with your luck, we may run into an ogre or something if I don¡¯t suggest something safer.)


    Jack chucked, and rolled his sleeve back down, and headed for the door.


    ¡°Ah, I should probably leave a message or something.¡±


    Jack thought about Jenny and Val who were gone getting clothes, and turned back, before writing a note telling them he would be back soon and not to worry about him, then left the apartment quickly.


    (It should be northeast from here, about six or seven miles away. Turned to look toward the northeast, after checking his phone¡¯s compass, and saw a forest leading to a couple of mountains in the distance. They were much further than six or seven miles, but Jack was curious if there was something there that was causing furies to gather. Jack shrugged and began running in the designated direction, quickly noticing how fast he could move, going a good fifty miles per hour.


    ¡®Shouldn¡¯t I be moving faster? If a normal person¡¯s maximum speed is twenty-eight miles per hour, shouldn¡¯t I run about seven hundred miles per hour?¡¯


    (No, there are other factors to consider, while your muscles and physical speed have greatly increased, but so have the forces against you when you exert that power. However, you can go up to a hundred miles an hour if you push yourself, but if you go much faster, Bernoulli¡±s equation suggests you would likely lose contact with the ground, and likely be injured or die in the fall, despite your newfound strength. However, while the possibilities are limited with fast-paced traveling, technique improves strength proportionally, with a slight decrease of course, so instead of being able to lift an extra ten or twenty pounds by using the correct technique, you would be able to lift an extra two-hundred and twenty-five, to four hundred!)


    Apparently Ellis had been spending time in his memories of physics class, though there were some holes in her logic, she did bring up a valid argument. Jack felt a little bad, because those holes were likely from him sleeping through class. Jack accepted the information, and continued toward his goal.


    Not long after that, they arrived at a small clearing in the woods where a large group of furies were huddled together, feeding on some monster they had killed not long ago. They didn¡¯t notice him approach at first, but a couple of them lifted there heads as they sensed the magical aura he gave off. Jack sensed a lot of them in the woods all around him, and guessed that there were about fifty including the ones in front of him. Most of the faster ones were already exposed, feeding on the carcass first before the weaker ones. Jack created a long thin thread on the tips of both of his index fingers, and began to approach them, preparing for a fight.


    (While you should be fine, just be aware that there are four of the ones Val called upper-class furies.)


    Jack acknowledged Ellis¡¯s advice with a light grunt and a nod, continuing towards the furies who were now fully aware of his presence, and started to warily circle around him.


    Jack stood still, making sure he kept track of all the furies around him as the attack began. The faster, mid-class furies attacked first, charging at him from multiple directions attacking with what should have been a terrifying speed. Jack watched as the creatures ran at him in slow motion, and he just waited patiently for them to come into range. The first one to come into range was a middle-aged man with an unruly beard that looked like he had been hit in the face with a bucket of red paint, and Jack flicked his wrist. The fury died before it had even realized Jack had moved, cut in half by a thin, red string.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Jack repeated the process several times before growing bored, and lunged into the middle of the horde. Now that he was up close, the furies all swung at him wildly, trying to fend him off as he jumped, twisting in the air while flipping backward and letting his fingers swing around him, cutting the mass of furies into assorted pieces. Jack landed, all the furies around him fell apart and landed on the ground with a series of unpleasant noises.


    A guttural chuckle sounded from behind him, and was soon joined by several others. Four to be exact. Jack turned to face the creatures approaching him, watching their green eyes igniting with a burning passion to feed as their eyes followed his movements.


    ¡°Impressive, but I¡¯ve seen better.¡¯


    The voice that came from the one that was clearly the leader sounded inhuman, almost as if coming from an animal who¡¯s owner had taught it to ¡°talk¡±. It looked like a young man, in his mid twenties wearing a red polo shirt, and khaki pants.


    ¡®This guy even dresses like a prick.¡¯


    Jack thought to himself. It seemed more animal-like than the other upper class fury he fought earlier, and didn¡¯t give off an intimidating aura like the other one, though it wore the same cocky smile.


    (These furies, while still upper-class, are much weaker than the one you beat earlier, so this should be easy! Kick their asses!)


    Ellis shouted encouragement in his mind, which caused Jack to grimace slightly.


    ¡°So you realized our power. Despite all that magic in your veins, you can¡¯t do anything to save yourself!¡±


    Laughter ensued, roaring as the conceited furies declared their victory before the fight even began. Jack stared, feeling the embarrassment for them since they weren¡¯t intelligent enough to feel it themselves. Jack dispelled the threads, and cracked his right knuckles with his left hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m already bored.¡±


    The furies laughter stopped as Jack disappeared from their sight, and reappeared directly in front of them. The leader slashed his claws up from their previous resting positions at his sides, but only cut the air. Jack appeared behind the leader, and grabbed it by the collar of it¡¯s shirt, twisting around, and flinging it with incredible speed directly at a nearby tree. The tree shook and cracked when the fury hit it, and gore covered it¡¯s trunk as the fury turned into pudding which sprayed on the nearby ground and trees with a splattering and crunching noise.


    The other furies froze, and Jack took full advantage of their hesitance, punching a hole through the one to his left with his robotic arm, and, recreating the thread with his right finger, decapitating the two to his right. The whole affair was over in two seconds.


    Jack pulled his hand out of the fury to his left, and let the thread to his right dissipate.


    ¡°Its no good, the difference in power is just too big.¡±


    Jack was disappointed, he had gotten himself worked up when he heard there were four upper class furies, but they weren¡¯t much better than the others.


    (Yeah, furies are just weak. They usually come in after wars to clean up.)


    ¡®They don¡¯t even fight...¡¯


    Jack was remembering how terrifying the other fury was while he was weaker, and felt a little embarrassed. The furies that were hiding in the woods began to scatter, however there was one that began to approach so he turned to face it.


    ¡°Pitiful, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    The voice came from the figure that just appeared out of the woods. It was a man in his early thirties, wearing a black suit, and tie, not something someone would normally wear in the woods. However, Jack hesitated before attacking, his eyes weren¡¯t glowing, and he didn¡¯t have any claws. Jack didn¡¯t drop his guard, but he didn¡¯t want to attack until he was sure it was a monster.


    ¡°The furies, I mean.¡±


    The man stopped about twenty yards from Jack, and took his hands out of his pockets, a cigarette in one hand, and a golden lighter in the other. He placed the cigarette in his mouth, and lit it while Jack stood there awkwardly.


    (He isn¡¯t giving off any magical signal, so he¡¯s probably human.)


    Jack relaxed his guard subconsciously upon hearing that, deciding to listen to what the man had to say. After the man puffed on his cigarette a few times, savoring it with a deep breath before slowly releasing a cloud of smoke into the air.


    ¡°I tried those vapor things, but they just aren¡¯t the same... it¡¯s like the difference between sex and masturbation.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Jack was growing impatient, wanting to get home before Jenny and Val started to worry. The man chuckled at his words, and nodded.


    ¡°Fair enough. My name is Timothy Grant. You don¡¯t have to worry about introducing yourself, Jack, I already know who you are.¡±


    The man waved at Jack as if dissuading him from interrupting his sentence, however Jack had no intention of introducing himself, and his suspicions raised slightly upon hearing his name.


    ¡°I am an... associate of your friend. Val, I think you call her. Anyway, I just came to check up on her, since she hasn¡¯t been responding to my calls as of late.¡±


    Timothy Grant talked as if he was dropping by to see an old friend, though his posture was that of a boss checking on a lazy employee.


    ¡°You¡¯re a friend of Val?¡±


    Jack¡¯s guard was now up, there was something wrong about this guy, he was acting too comfortable for someone who wasn¡¯t in control, and he didn¡¯t seem someone who couldn¡¯t read a situation.


    ¡°You¡¯re a little slow, aren¡¯t ya, kid.¡±


    The man took something out of his pockets, and put it in his ears, then continued.


    ¡°Less of a friend, more like a boss.¡±


    The man removed a small electronic device from his pocket, then tapped on the screen. Jack felt his entire body tense, then go limp, collapsing on the ground like a rag doll. Jack¡¯ ears filled with a quiet, but still deafeningly high pitched ringing. The man began to approach Jack, walking slowly, and confidently without a care in the world, fully aware of how in control he was.


    ¡°And as a boss, I sometimes need to play the bad guy to keep the employees obedient.¡±


    He tossed the device in his hand on the ground next to Jack as he came closer.


    ¡°Its amazing how the human body works. That little device is emitting a high frequency noise, over twenty kilohertz, and completely paralyses you. I though I might have to go a little overboard when I saw your power, but then figured your heightened sense of hearing would more than make up the difference. However, you will probably recover instantly after it gets turned off, life really isn¡¯t fair is it.¡±


    The man crouched down next to Jack, getting close enough for him to smell the man''s smoke-tainted breath.


    ¡°Okay, buddy, here¡¯s how this is going to work. I¡¯m going to leave you here, and go get my ¡°employee¡±, and you can do one of three things: one, you can sit here and wait for your little friends to come and visit.¡±


    The man gestured to the furies that were in the woods, slowly approaching when they saw Jack on the ground.


    ¡°Two, you can escape somehow, and continue your life pretending none of this ever happened.¡±


    The man held up three fingers in front of Jack¡¯s face, with a condescending look on his face.


    ¡°Or three, the most likely option from what I¡¯ve seen, you can escape, and come after me, then die right before her eyes.¡±


    Jack stared at him with burning hatred in his eyes, unable to move while a pink color filled his irises.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I can see you¡¯ve already made your decision, but it won¡¯t turn out how you think. I know about your ability to ¡®upgrade¡¯ yourself, I also know your fighting style, your little magic whips, your left arm, and many other things.¡±


    He placed his hand on Jack¡¯s shoulder and rubbed it as if to comfort him.


    ¡°Knowledge is power, Jack. I see every movement you make through phones, cameras, satellites, you name it. You can¡¯t escape, or surprise me. You can¡¯t beat me because I already beat you the moment I laid eyes on you.¡±


    He stood up, leaving the enraged Jack, and the small noise machine on the ground.


    ¡°I love to talk, Jack, that¡¯s one thing you should know about me. You get me going, and I¡¯ll talk your ear off.¡±


    The man chuckled as he stepped over Jack and continued into the woods.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we will be seeing each other again soon, I look forward to it.¡±

 Chapter 9: Novice Monster Hunter part 4

    <Jenny and Val>


    Jenny and Val were in the car on there way back to Jack¡¯s house, Jenny with a wide grin on her face. Val sat in silence, sinking into her seat with a face as red as a tomato.


    ¡°About your proposal...¡±


    Val broke the awkward silence.


    ¡°I-¡°


    She was interrupted by an explosive noise, and a shockwave that shattered the windshield. Jenny slammed on her brakes, the car sliding to a stop with a loud screeching noise.


    ¡°What the hell!?¡±


    Jenny kicked her door open, glass falling to the side as she jumped out of the car. Val followed suit, looking for what caused the explosion, but her vision was blocked by the excessive amounts of dust in the air. Apparently, something had happened, likely a car bomb, and the road was blocked, the asphalt was probably destroyed as well. Jenny pulled out her phone, but there was no response when she pressed on the home button.


    ¡°Shoot, I could have sworn I charged it...¡±


    She shoved it back in her pocket, and returned her attention to the dust in front of her as the wind began to blow. Jenny saw a figure standing in the dust, just a shadow, but definitely a person. Whoever it was started walking towards them. Val got out of the car, standing next to Jenny, while also looking at the figure.


    ¡°Valkyrie one.¡±


    Val stiffened when she recognized the mechanical voice coming from the figure, who was still hidden by the dust. A loud, rapid noise suddenly sounded, and the dust was blown away, revealing a person with a muscular build standing beneath a helicopter that had just approached from the other side of the dust. The wind coming off the propellers was intense, and small pebbles and rubble on the ground were flying in every direction. The figure standing in front of them was wearing a solid black suit, with a tinted three-hundred and sixty degree view helmet, and Val took a step toward Jenny, ready to react if anything happened.


    ¡°Why did you take off your suit?¡±


    The figure didn¡¯t speak with curiosity, but malice, and stepped forward threateningly, the destroyed asphalt beneath him crumbling under his foot.


    ¡°I needed to do detailed work that was impossible with the suit¡¯s gloves.¡±


    Val replied warily, but retained her emotionless composure, not giving away any of her cards.


    ¡°What detailed work?¡±


    Jenny was staring in shock at the figure, and started backing up slowly, grabbing onto Val¡¯s hand, subtly trying to urge her to move. Val ignored her, and continued.


    ¡°The observation target was mortally injured while helping me, and I felt responsible, and decided to tend to his wounds.¡±


    ¡°And the arm?¡±


    The figure was walking slowly towards them, but Val did not move, or back down, knowing if she ran, Jenny would be used as leverage against her. Or worse, against Jack, and then he would have no choice but to betray her. She owed him her life, and did not want to put him in a situation where he would likely lose something precious to him.


    ¡°Losing his arm was a wound he received while protecting me, and therefore I was responsible for treating it to the best of my abilities.¡±


    The man was standing right in front of the two girls, Val staring him down while Jenny furiously tried to bring her phone back to life, while keeping an eye on the man in the suit. The man turned to look at Jenny.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use. All devices that can collect evidence in this area have been disabled by an EMP. I am protected by a dampener that blocks the waves from my circuits, which is why I¡¯m unaffected. This material is light, and flexible, and should only belong to us.¡±


    He turned his gaze towards Val, who flinched at his words.


    ¡°Boss needs you, Val. He doesn¡¯t like that you¡¯ve ignored his calls, and this was your last chance.¡±


    Jenny didn¡¯t notice, but the man¡¯s shifted to a position where he could kill Jenny easily before Val could stop him. Val¡¯s gaze were lightly glazed, revealing a small trace of sadness at her helpless situation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come.¡±


    ¡°Wait a sec-¡°


    Val quickly reached over and knocked out Jenny with a quick hit, catching her as she fell, and laying her on the ground. Jenny would have probably said something stupid and got herself killed, since she didn¡¯t know what she was up against. Val turned to the man, and nodded. She knew Jack would have wanted her to make the smart decision, and this situation had the least amount of sacrifices.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    The man approached Val, wrapping his arm around her shoulders before leaping dozens of feet in the air, and landing with a heavy thud on the helicopter. The helicopter shifted when the large amount of weight suddenly boarded, but quickly recovered, and turned, going a different direction than where it came, towards the mountains.


    <Jack>


    Jack was lying in the clearing, repeatedly creating different electric threads from different parts of his left arm in an attempt to cut the small device next to him. The only problem was he couldn¡¯t see it, his head had fallen to the right side of his body, and he couldn¡¯t move it back.


    (Jack...)


    Ellis was nervous, the furies were getting braver, some venturing to the edge of the forest, but still wary of Jack.


    ¡®I know, help me figure out a way to stop that device.¡¯


    Jack created thread after thread, pushing it out without success over and over again, releasing more magic, and attracting more furies.


    ¡®I won¡¯t run out of magic, right?¡¯


    (No, try as much as you like, while you may only be able to manipulate it a little, you still have full access to my old magic reserves.)


    Jack was growing frustrated, he would likely die before he found that thing. He needed a new plan.


    ¡®Damn it! Why aren¡¯t they affected by this thing?¡¯


    (They¡¯re monsters, there bodies can¡¯t survive without magic, however their reliance on magic makes them immune to many things that would harm beings reliant on science, such as disease, chemical attacks, and high frequency attacks, apparently.)


    One of the mid-class furies that seemed to have more courage, or stupidity depending on how you look at it, and ventured out towards Jack, the other¡¯s trailing behind, following it¡¯s example. This was it. If Jack couldn¡¯t find some way to free himself, he would die a very gruesome death at the hands of a monster he could normally kill with a flick of his wrist. Anger began to boil in him, anger at the man who did this to him, anger at what that man might do to Val, anger at himself for letting this happen, for being too weak to stop it. thinking about Jenny, who was with Val, and who the man might kill just because she was there.


    Jack quit focusing his magic on a single point, and just started pushing it out. His left arm lit up, and the fury, who was standing over him now jumped back, surprised at the light emanating from the mechanical arm. Pink electricity sparked up and down the surface of the arm, and Jack didn¡¯t worry about the possible repercussions of forcing magic out of his body, and just focused on getting free, already beginning to form his plan.


    At the sudden release of magic, the furies all became greedy, sensing the power, and craving it for themselves, and charged at him from every direction, swarming over to his body. Jack smiled inwardly, as he felt the magical power break through an invisible barrier, directing the power out towards the small device, and down into the ground.


    <Val and Timothy Grant>


    Val was riding in the helicopter, sitting in silence with the large man in the black combat suit to her right, and Timothy Grant across from her. A smile covered Timothy¡¯s face as he watched Jack from a satellite view.


    ¡°Oh... how disappointing. Already dead?¡±


    Val jerked up at this, looking worriedly at the small screen Timothy was holding, but unable to see what it was displaying from her point of view.


    ¡°Want to see? Here, I¡¯ll rewind it a little for you, so you don¡¯t miss the good part.¡±


    The man tapped on the screen a few times, then flipped it around so Val could see it clearly. She saw Jack laying paralyzed on the ground, furies surrounding him, and his arm sparking slightly. She watched as the furies charged at him from every direction, and a pink light emit from Jack¡¯s arm for an instant before he was overwhelmed by the the horde of furies, blood splattering across the grass, which was quickly covered up by the numerous bodies that were clamoring over one another in a desperate attempt to have a taste of the prey.


    Nausea hit her, and she was dizzy, watching the life of a friend disappear in an instant. She leaned back in her seat, and pulled her knees up to her chest in the fetal position.


    ¡°You see what happens when you disobey? Your friend would have been able to live if you had just responded to your messages, and updated yourself willingly like a good girl.¡±


    Val was shivering, and hugging her knees, tears rolling down her face, and dripping onto the clothes Jenny gave to her.


    ¡°Now now, don¡¯t be like that. You have already learned this lesson, haven¡¯t you? The same thing happened with your parents, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    Val rested her face on her knees, and cried. This surprised Timothy, he hadn¡¯t seen her cry since her parents died, and wondered how she could care so much about someone she only met a couple of days ago.


    ¡®I cant believe it. Her spirit is completely broken now.¡¯


    He sat back, putting his hands behind his head, and resting the screen in his lap. A slight smile made it¡¯s way onto his face.


    ¡®That was so much easier than I thought! Damn, business is good.¡¯


    <Jack>


    Jack¡¯s mind was going a mile a minute, he had already accessed his magic, and was prepared to let out a burst of energy, but was waiting, taking advantage of his superior speed. The furies charged at him in slow motion as his plan formed, as soon as the first ones covered his body, he released the energy, directing it in the vicinity of the device, and downward into the ground. He felt his ability to move return immediately, and rushed downward at the hole he had created with the controlled blast. In normal situations, dirt would have flown everywhere, but in this case, the magic took the form of electricity and disintegrated the dirt beneath him.


    Jack fell into the hole, that quickly filled with furies, and continued to dig. Further and further away he got from his original position, only stopping to kill furies and create a barricade with their bodies. Jack made sure to dig deep, to reduce his chances of a cave-in, using his left arm to punch the dirt and rocks, instantly vaporizing them. Obviously, Jack had done this to hide from Timothy Grant, the man who claimed to see everything. He had considered ditching his phone, but when he went to check it, he realized he had it in his left pocket, and it was destroyed due to the immense amount of electricity it was exposed to.


    Jack continued without slowing until he thought he had found a suitable place to resurface. In all likelihood, Timothy Grant wouldn¡¯t notice Jack as long as he kept a low profile, it¡¯s not like Timothy was constantly looking through every device at once, not to mention, if his trick worked, Jack was off his radar.


    Jack slowly dug his way out, not wanting to blast his way out and attract attention. After several minutes, jack reached a wooden box.


    (Jack, did you just stumble on buried treasure!?)


    Jack broke open the box, revealing a pale, lifeless corpse.


    ¡®Just six more feet.¡¯


    (That¡¯s your reaction!?)


    Jack resurfaced in a graveyard.

 Chapter 10: Novice Monster Hunter part 5

    <Jack>


    Jack looked around, the area around him was littered with assorted gravestones, and the occasional tree that had sprung up due to lack of maintenance.


    (What now?)


    Ellis asked an obvious question, but it was still a real dilemma. They didn¡¯t know where they are, and if they did find their way back, the chances of finding Timothy Grant and Val was very slim. As Jack tried to come up with a plan, his ears picked up a very faint noise, a rapid, repetitive noise that was slowly growing louder. Jack looked towards the sound, and saw a small black dot in the distant sky, slowly approaching his location.


    Jack hid behind a tree, and peeked out as the helicopter came close, looking to see the passengers. Jack tensed, seeing a silver-haired girl curled up in a ball riding next to a man in a suit similar to hers, but was much larger. He leaned against the tree, hiding himself from the view of the passengers as they passed by.


    (Are you just going to let them go? You know you could have made it if you jumped.)


    Ellis was surprised Jack didn¡¯t jump straight in the helicopter, since he could take Timothy by surprise and rescue Val in one move. Jack just shook his head, and began to chase after the helicopter, running at full speed back into the woods he just came from.


    ¡®The man in the suit, he would definitely be trouble, if I attacked now, Val would likely be caught in the crossfire and get hurt.¡¯


    Val didn¡¯t have her suit on, and Jack was unsure of her abilities without the suit, so he decided it would be better to wait until they were on the ground before engaging in a fight. Jack was barely able to keep up while running at full speed through the woods, dodging around. Trees and small piles of brush, while kicking the occasional fury¡¯s face in when one happened to cross his path.


    ¡®Why are there so many furies here? I thought they only travelled in packs of slightly over twenty at most.¡¯


    (That is true for furies that travel, but when a large pack becomes stagnate, they just sit in one place releasing magical power, which attracts more furies, who release more magic, creating an ever-repeating cycle especially in places like a forest where there are lots of places to hide.)


    Jack threw an elbow into another fury as he passed, knocking it into a nearby tree and killing it instantly before continuing his pursuit of the helicopter. Ellis¡¯s explanation made sense, so Jack didn¡¯t ask anymore questions regarding the furies, and focused on coming up with a plan.


    ¡®Is it possible to do the magical enhancement yet?¡¯


    (No, you just did that yesterday, and if you did it again, you will definitely die. Forcing magic through your body now would react with the magic that is still adapting to you, and you would probably burn to death from the inside out.)


    ¡®Probably?¡¯


    (Either that or explode.)


    ¡®Damn.¡¯


    Magical enhancement was out of the equation, which made his options severely limited, especially since he would be fighting in Timothy Grant¡¯s territory. Timothy prided himself on knowing everything, and was obviously prepared to take Jack on, so all Jack had to do was do something Timothy wouldn¡¯t expect. Timothy knew Jack loved planning, he knew he wouldn¡¯t act rashly, and he knew Jack¡¯s limits, his abilities, and fighting style. Jack needed to change everything, in order to take away his opponent¡¯s biggest card. He had to take away Timothy¡¯s control, and in order to do that Jack had to use something that Timothy didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡®Ellis, I need your help, tell me how to use magic in a fight.¡¯


    (Gladly!)


    <Val and Timothy Grant>


    They soon arrived at Timothy¡¯s mountain fortress, an impenetrable fortress with a large, iron gate on the side of a cliff face, giving out an intimidating look. The gate opened to greet them as they landed, letting out a heavy booming noise as the gears hidden in the walls turned. The helicopter landed, and the three passengers, with no pilot due to the helicopter¡¯s self-navigation system, exited, and began to calmly walk towards the gate.


    Val had recovered for the most part, returning to her usual, emotionless expression, and only her red, puffy eyes gave away her feelings. As they entered, many men in black suits ran around, performing various tasks, and that¡¯s when Val noticed the gate that was surprisingly thin, only about six inches thick, and she couldn¡¯t figure out why. Noticing her interest, Timothy Grant leaned over to whisper in her ear, which was unnecessary because the only other person in earshot was the man in the black suit, but he did it anyway just because he felt like it.


    ¡°I made them extra thin because I was expecting your little boyfriend to arrive, and I wanted him to get at least past the door, that would be quite anticlimactic. This way there is a possible dramatic entrance, and a few small fries to throw around.¡±


    He leaned back and began to speak openly, casually raising his shoulders in disappointment.


    ¡°I even made V-2 a suit specifically made to fight him, and even downloaded ways to counter his fighting style, and caused a big commotion, so someone could point him in our direction if he missed the helicopter.¡±


    Val flinched when he said downloaded, knowing the man in the black suit known as V-2 was no longer human, but a robot. She remembered when he used to joke around, telling her to call him Mr. V and make her feel better when she was sad, and when he told her he was going to escape. She remembered when he was caught, and taken into a laboratory, where he was turned into a robot that obeyed every command Timothy gave without question or delay. She knew Timothy could do that to people, take away their humanity, and replace it with undying obedience to him.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°What will happen to me?¡±


    Val dreaded asking the question, knowing the answer, but just wanting to hear him say it. Timothy paused for a second, considering his answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to fix you.¡±


    The response came.


    ¡°You keep on disobeying, and keep on getting hurt, so I am going to make it so you won¡¯t get hurt anymore. You remember your parents, and how when they didn¡¯t listen, and didn¡¯t give you to me as I asked, and they met their tragic fate soon after, though you paid a price nearly as great as theirs. Your friend Jack was the one who paid the ultimate price in this situation, all because you didn¡¯t listen to me. I will make it so you won¡¯t ever have to worry about disobeying again, and because of that, you will never have to get hurt again. It¡¯s my way of protecting you.¡±


    Even Timothy felt it was a stretch, but Val who was in an unstable emotional state right now, and who had a tendency to blame herself for everything, slowly nodded, staring ahead blankly.


    ¡°Good girl.¡±


    Timothy reached out to pat her on the head, but was interrupted by a loud commotion, and several of his men¡¯s heads being removed from their bodies. He turned to see what was causing it, and his eyes settled on Jack, who returned his gaze with pink irises reflecting the intense hatred he was feeling. Jack raised a finger, pointing at Timothy, a thin thread of pink magic trailing down to the floor.


    ¡°Found you, motherfucker.¡±


    <Jack (5 minutes earlier)>


    Jack had learned a few tricks with magic that might prove useful in combat while pursuing the helicopter, and was now preparing for a fight, making up a few new moves that incorporated his new abilities. Jack had fallen slightly behind, and got there just in time to see the large iron gate close with Val, Timothy, and the man in black on the other side.


    ¡®Shit, there¡¯s no way I can break through a solid iron door, new abilities or not. What should I do?¡¯


    Jack¡¯s eyes wandered until he saw a supply truck pull up to a much smaller, and less imposing door, which began to open. Jack saw his opportunity, and ran straight toward the new opening at full speed, decapitating a few men in suits that looked more like hired thugs who were given suits to look professional. He quickly passed through the door without causing a large disturbance.


    Jack was certain Timothy knew something was here, he likely had cameras or something hidden in the suits the men were wearing. However, after he entered the building, Jack could here their conversation over the noise of the men in the fort going about their business and they seemed unaware, but as Jack listened, he began to understand the circumstances Val was in. She was being brainwashed, and likely had been since she was a child.


    From what he had gathered, Timothy wanted Val as a child for some reason, and her parents obviously didn¡¯t give her up. Timothy killed her parents, staging it as an ¡°accident¡± and blaming it on their inability to comply. He had constantly implied, or just blatantly said, stuff like, ¡°If you obey me bad things won¡¯t happen.¡± or ¡°It¡¯s your fault for disobeying.¡±, constantly connecting himself with everything good that has happened to her, and blaming her for all the bad.


    Jack was enraged, and started using a couple of blunt attacks as he charged in the direction of the voice. Jack couldn¡¯t see Val¡¯s face right now, but he was certain it was emotionless, which was one of her many self-defense mechanisms she used to protect herself. Something occurred to Jack: how could he hear them talk? Was his hearing that good? Jack recalled Timothy¡¯s personality, and how he seemed like the kind of guy who would endanger himself just to have some entertainment.


    Jack¡¯s thought process was interrupted when he hear Timothy say ¡°Good girl.¡±. Rage filled Jack, and he threw himself directly toward the voice, ignoring the walls in between, and found that the walls were brittle, and crumbled when he applied pressure. Timothy had clearly been planning on a fight happening here, and he had made the walls weaker to add to the effect. What an asshole.


    Jack emerged from the other side, and found Val, Timothy, and the man known as V-2 all standing in a row and staring at him. Jack saw Timothy¡¯s hand stretched out over Val¡¯s head, which was drooped down submissively. Jack already had the intention to kill him, but now had more than just the intention of removing a threat, he had the desire to kill an enemy.


    Jack raised a finger pointing at Timothy, and spoke in a voice that contained his rage at the sight of his broken friend, and the one who broke her.


    ¡°Found you, motherfucker.¡±


    Val looked up then, and the two stared at Jack with wide eyes, while the third¡¯s face was covered by a mask, and his expression wasn¡¯t visible. The first to recover was Timothy, of course, and the cocky smile returned, though irritation was visible despite his best attempts.


    ¡°Jack! You survived! I thought you were a goner, but thank goodness, I was beginning to think this would be more effective if she saw in person.¡±


    Jack ignored Timothy for the moment.


    ¡°Val. I don¡¯t know everything, but I do know this. If I die, it is my fault, and my fault alone. Don¡¯t you dare blame yourself just because some asshole says it¡¯s your fault. You shouldn¡¯t care what he says, because this is my life, and I am saying right now, IT ISN¡¯T YOUR FAULT.¡±


    It was a bit repetitive, but Val was in shock still, and he wanted to make sure he got his point across, just in case he died before he could save her. Timothy¡¯s facade had almost completely disappeared, revealing anger at Jack¡¯s comforting words that undid a good portion of his brainwashing.


    ¡°Who the hell do you think you are!? Her knight in shining armor!?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what she needs right now.¡±


    Jack felt really good despite himself when he saw Timothy¡¯s facade crumble before his eyes, revealing a mortal man who was a control freak that was starting to lose his grip on the situation. He only had two options left, take Val hostage, or send the guard dog out to play. Jack was hoping for the latter, and was pleasantly surprised when the Timothy turned towards the man, and ordered him to attack Jack with a voice that was anything but calm. This man may be able to predict what others may do, and figure out a way to manipulate it, but was unbearably predictable himself.


    ¡®Classic supervillain.¡¯


    (I don¡¯t think he deserves the title of ¡®super¡¯.)


    Ellis intervened, knowing the opponent was made specifically to beat Jack, and he was in a lot of danger, new abilities or not.


    (Listen, Jack. I am very sorry.)


    Ellis began, and the man began to approach, though he was some distance away and moved slowly, which gave her some time.


    (One bad thing after another has happened ever since I gave you my power, and I can¡¯t help but feel responsible.)


    V-2¡¯s suit began to glow blue as he approached, likely a deterrent to Jack¡¯s magic threads.


    (God¡¯s have a power that exceeds most beings¡¯ imagination, but in return, we are tortured by fate, and plagued by constant misfortune. That is something that comes with godhood, and something that is not going to go away no matter how long you wait, so I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re a good guy, and I hope you don¡¯t die.)


    ¡®Ellis.¡¯


    Jack directed his thoughts at her.


    (Yes?)


    ¡®Quit being dramatic. Bad things happen, but I can deal with them. Since I met you, I did something that I thought was impossible, I made a friend.¡¯


    Brass knuckles formed on the man in black¡¯s hands, and spikes emerged from them.


    ¡®See? It¡¯s not that bad when you think about it that way. Besides, doing something for a friend isn¡¯t something to dread,¡¯


    Jack changed his stance from his usual one, this time facing his enemy head on with each arm to either side his right hand open while his left one was closed in a fist. Small threads began to form on each of the fingertips of his right hand, slowly growing until they were about six feet long and cutting into the ground, which caught on fire, but was no bigger than a lighter¡¯s flame.


    ¡®...it¡¯s my pleasure.¡¯


    A smile formed on Jack¡¯s face and his left hand that was in a fist lit up with pink electricity that crackled and popped as it ran up and down his arm.


    ¡®I really hope this works.¡¯


    That was the last thought that ran through Jack¡¯s head before the two opponents began.

 Chapter 10.5: Showdown

    Jack began to walk toward V-2, pink irises glowing slightly as they followed every movement of the man in front of him, trying to predict his next move. Val was still surprised to see Jack alive, and was frozen in place, unsure of what to do. Timothy Grant was visibly irate, but a smile could be seen on his face as the man in black prepared to attack, not his usual, relaxed smile, but a twisted smile that reflected anger and an odd pleasure. He was already accepting victory before the fight even began.


    V-2 made the first move, lunging at an incredible speed toward Jack, bringing his fist up in preparation. Jack smiled as the man in black approached, dodging to the side, and bringing his right hand up along with the threads of magic to V-2¡¯s arm. Just as Jack thought, the threads didn¡¯t cut into the dark figure, but just wrapped around his arm harmlessly. However, Jack had no intention to cut the man¡¯s arm off, he pulled the five threads with all his might, tightening their grip and swinging V-2 around in a circle before dissipating the threads and flinging him off to Val and Timothy¡¯s right. V-2 landed heavily, smashing into a large armored truck with a resounding crash.


    V-2 sat there in the dented vehicle, dazed from the unexpected attack, and Jack didn¡¯t waste a second, releasing magic from his feet, sending him dashing straight at the man with an explosive speed, his left arm pulled back in preparation to attack. V-2 snapped out of his stupor, and threw his arms up in defense as Jack approached, accepting the blow with his forearms while bracing his body with the truck. Jack¡¯s fist made contact, and he released all the built-up magic along with some of his frustration out of his knuckles, sending all of the force into his opponent.


    Pink electricity erupted over V-2¡¯s body, enveloping him in the pulsating light before exploding, blowing the truck off into the far wall along with what remains of V-2, which at this point was just his legs, head, and various other unidentifiable parts. The resounding shockwave vibrated the air, nearly deafening the people standing nearby. Jack slowly retracted his fist, just as shocked as the others when he witnessed his own power, but trying to keep his cool.


    ¡°That was...¡±


    Timothy began to say something, but couldn¡¯t finish, probably due to his trembling. Jack finished the phrase for him, while brushing off some of the debris and gore from his previous attack and noticing his left hand had taken some superficial damage, revealing some of the metal circuits, and pink energy.


    ¡°Anticlimactic.¡±


    Jack turned to face Timothy, who reached for Val, who was standing next to him with an intention to take her hostage, but she quickly stepped to the side and out of his reach, causing him to stumble slightly. His face was flushed, anger turning into fear as he tried to talk his way out of the situation.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing!? You can¡¯t kill me! What about all the monsters I keep in check, are you going to take responsibility for all the creatures that can now freely roam about without fear of me!?¡±


    Jack didn¡¯t stop walking, calmly approaching with an unreadable face.


    ¡°Y-you can leave! Take the girl with you, I-I don¡¯t care, I won¡¯t bother you ever again!¡±


    Jack¡¯s left index finger sparked, and electrified as he continued to approach. Timothy took a step back, holding his hand¡¯s up in defense.


    ¡°W-wait! Be reasonable, I may not be the best guy, but I am a necessary evil. If you kill me, then you take will have to replace me! There are things out there you can¡¯t hope to control! Gods, monsters, aliens, do you think you can handle them all!?  Are you ready to take on all the responsibility I bare!?¡±


    Jack stopped, standing directly in front of Timothy, and put his left index finger on the terrified man¡¯s forehead. Timothy was drenched in sweat, and his legs were trembling, and Jack couldn¡¯t believe this was the same man that nearly ended him. Jack paused, considering Timothy¡¯s words, and realized he was right, whether Jack liked it or not, this pitiful excuse for a man did keep the monsters in check, and killing him does make him responsible for taking on his job.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    But, he also endangered Val¡¯s, Jenny¡¯s, and Ellis¡¯s lives, and Jack couldn¡¯t let that go.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯m a monster hunter now.¡±


    Jack released the energy in his finger, projecting it through Timothy¡¯s head, and extinguishing his life in an instant. He turned to Val, who was trembling slightly with tears filling her her eyes yet again as she stared at Jack.


    ¡®Ah, I think I scared her. What do I do now?¡¯


    (Don¡¯t ask me.)


    Ellis was no help at all, and Jack stood awkwardly for several seconds, trying to figure out what to say.


    ¡°S-sorry, I-!?¡±


    Jack was interrupted when Val dove forward and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest, soaking his shirt in tears.


    ¡®That must have been pretty traumatizing. I hope she¡¯s okay.¡¯


    (You¡¯re an idiot.)


    ¡®Why?¡¯


    (Because you are.)


    Jack shook his head, and returned his attention to Val, who was still clinging to him. After a few moments passed, he figured he should get going, noticing the thugs in suits starting to gather, and not really wanting to deal with them right now, started trying to subtly pry Val off. She stubbornly clung tighter, and he only got her to move to the side of his chest before giving up, sighing in resignation.


    ¡°We have to go.¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond. Jack paused, noticing the gate open, allowing more of the thugs to enter, clearly missing what just happened.


    ¡°Are you going to let go?¡±


    Val shook her head, without removing her face from his chest.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Not seeing any other option, Jack put his left arm under her knees, and wrapped his right arm around her shoulders in a princess-style carry. While keeping her face buried, she removed her arms from around him, and gripped the front of his shirt tightly, pulling herself close to him, which made it significantly more comfortable. Jack turned toward the gate, and began to run, just now noticing his shoes had been destroyed when he lunged at V-2.


    What Jack did was eject the magic out of his feet, which caused a minor explosion, and propelled him through the air at an incredible speed, which allowed him to attack V-2 before he recovered. Jack considered doing that now to jump over the suited mob that was blocking their escape, but decided against it, not wanting to disturb Val, and decided to just use his normal strength to escape.


    As the mob came close, Jack leapt off the ground, landing on the face of one of the thugs, and jumped again, repeating this process over and over again until he cleared the mob, and exited the gate. Outside there were very few thugs, most of which were fleeing after seeing him perform several impossible stunts, while one climbed in a van, and began to drive at full speed in Jack¡¯s direction.


    The van rapidly drew near, accelerating to a good eighty miles an hour before reaching his location. Jack stuck out his foot in the direction of the van, and ejected magical energy from the base of his foot, making sure the magic went out and down instead of back at him. The sound of metal crumbling filled the air, as the van flipped longways, flying over Jack¡¯s head, and landed on the helicopter, which was on with the blades already spinning rapidly and turning the two vehicles into one twisted heap of metal.


    ¡®Damn, I was hoping for an explosion.¡¯


    (So you were aiming for the helicopter...?)


    Jack continued to run, heading towards the distant buildings that could barely be seen over the trees, and soon arrived at his apartment, and entered, exhaustion immediately overwhelming his senses. Jack entered his bedroom, and placed Val, who had fallen asleep on the way back, on his bed, wrapping her in the covers before exiting the room. Jack went back into his living room, barely awake and dragging his bare feet on the carpet, and noticed something that he hadn¡¯t when he entered. Jenny was sitting on his couch, staring at him with eyes filled with fire after seeing Jack princess-carry a girl to his bedroom.


    ¡°Explanation. Now.¡±


    Jack nodded, knowing he couldn¡¯t escape, and sat down next to her. For the next thirty minutes he gave Jenny the basic story of everything that has happened since last Friday, including Ellis, Val, the furies, his arm, Timothy Grant, V-2, and everything else. After he finished, he immediately fell asleep on the couch, and Jenny laid his head in her lap, thinking about the things he had told her.


    After about an hour, Jenny heard movement from Jack¡¯s bedroom, and went to see Val, wanting to talk to her about something. As soon as Jenny entered, Val looked up at her with a relatively emotionless face, only a slight smile betraying her current feelings.


    ¡°I accept your proposal.¡±

 Chapter 11: Other World Problems part 1

    <An unknown location>


    A large man wearing a golden cloak sat on a large throne, surrounded by beautiful golden statues depicting various people from many different races. The wall behind the man was made of glass, revealing a vast star-filled background which added to the majestic look, while casting a shadow over the large man¡¯s face, which was hidden under a hood. The man on the throne shifted, and his right hand emerged from his cloak, gripping a large, blue trident whose color seemed to ripple with each movement.


    ¡°I have a task that requires your... skills.¡±


    The large man spoke from the darkness of his hood with a voice that was filled with authority, and seemed to control the mood of the room with a minor shift in tone. A shadow detached itself from the wall, and walked closer to the man with silent footsteps as if sneaking, but the figure itself walked with confident steps.


    ¡°You keep your room too dark, this place is an assassin¡¯s playground.¡±


    The figure responded in a crisp, cool voice that was undeniably female. The man chuckled in a deep voice, and his shoulders heaved back and forth, matching the sound while emitting an oppressing aura.


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t get very far, as long as I have my trident in hand. However, I did not call you here for idle discussion, as I said before, I have a task for you.¡±


    The woman shifted her stance from one foot to the other, and placed her hand on her hip in a nonchalant manner.


    ¡°I accept. There has been nothing for me to do for several days now, and I am beginning to become lazy.¡±


    The man leaned heavily on the trident in his right hand, and leaned forward in his chair, casting a long shadow across the floor.


    ¡°Galaxy 377, about 25,000 strides out, third from it¡¯s sun. It is known as Terra, or Earth, and on this ¡®Earth¡¯ there is a boy, who has lived about nineteen of his planet¡¯s cycles, that has found a way to combine magic an machinery. Though it may be primitive, mixing science and magic is something we have never been able to do in all our years of research.¡±


    ¡°So, you want me to steal the piece of technology so you can study it, right?¡±


    The large man leaned back in his chair, resting his elbows on the armrests of his throne, and relaxing his grip on the trident slightly, leaning it against his knee.


    ¡°No, it seems to have become a part of him somehow. If we were to remove it, or kill him, it would likely break, and the magic would fade. Kidnapping won¡¯t work either, since the newly established council decided it was ¡°unethical¡±, though they don¡¯t wield much power, and I¡¯m sure they would have an interest too, so I may be able to talk them into reversing it if it comes to that. I am planning on sending you to negotiate for information regarding it.¡±


    The woman removed her hand from her hip, and she stood up straight, cocking her head to the side quizzically.


    ¡°Why would you send me? My specialty isn¡¯t negotiation, in fact, it¡¯s the opposite of negotiation.¡±


    The man inhaled deeply, hesitant to explain his reasons, but eventually sighing, realizing this conversation was unavoidable.


    ¡°Your anatomy is very similar to the Terran¡¯s, though there are some noticeable differences you will have to cover up, overall, you could easily be mistaken as one of them. You are also a female, one that would be considered incredibly attractive on this planet, and can defend yourself if anything were to go awry, which would help me since I wouldn¡¯t have to send a body guard.¡±


    The woman seemed to be catching on to the man¡¯s intentions, and took a step forward, with the light from a star shining over part of her face, revealing deep, purple irises, surrounding a pitch-black pupil.


    ¡°What role does my level of attractiveness play?¡±


    The large man leaned on his right elbow, looking down at the girl.


    ¡°I know sexual requests go against the contract, which is why I am asking this as a favor, and will pay ten times the normal amount.¡±


    The woman seemed to perk up after hearing that, though doubt was still visible in her eyes. She thought about it for several seconds before responding.


    ¡°I accept.¡±


    The man leaned back in his chair, making himself more comfortable now that he had finished talking business.


    ¡°Go to Jerle, he will debrief you, and teach you the basics of the language you will use.¡±


    She nodded, turned, long black hair whipped around, barely visible in the dark room, and and walked out with silent footsteps, looking almost wraith-like. She would have normally turned such a request down in an instant, but the amount of money tantalized her, and she made a compromise.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡®If I have to sleep with him, and I can¡¯t kill him, then I suppose I¡¯ll just have to make him my husband.¡¯


    <Jack>


    Jack awoke about five hours after falling asleep, feeling well-rested and ready to start his day. He sat up, and stretched, letting out a yawn, which was interrupted when his right hand brushed against something soft. Jack looked down to see what it was, and he saw Jenny lying directly in front of him on the couch facing away from him, sound asleep. Jack smiled, and maneuvered himself over her and tried to get off without waking her when a smile formed on her face.


    Jenny stretched out her legs, and kicked his knees out from under him, while pushing his arms to the sides, causing him to fall on top of her as she wrapped her arms around him. They sat in silence for several seconds.


    ¡°Trying to sneak up on a girl in her sleep, huh? How cruel.¡±


    ¡°No... that¡¯s not what happened...¡±


    Jack tried to get up, but each time he lifted himself, Jenny was lifted too, giggling while he struggled to escape her grasp.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting up now, whether you¡¯re hanging on to me or not.¡±


    Jack stated that, hoping she would submit and just let go, but his plan backfired when she wrapped her legs around him too, getting a better grip. Jack stood up with Jenny clinging to his body, and began to walk towards the bathroom, yet another plan forming in his mind.


    ¡°I need to use the restroom, do you plan to follow me in there too?¡±


    Jenny, whose head was right next to his, turned and whispered in his ear with a playful voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I can¡¯t tell when you¡¯re lying, Jack.¡±


    Plan A failed, so he went to plan B.


    ¡°Well, I have to eat, which is hard when you¡¯re clinging to me, I might get some in your hair.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, you can feed me while you¡¯re at it.¡±


    Plans C.


    ¡°I need to take a shower.¡±


    ¡°I think you smell nice.¡±


    Plan D.


    ¡°I missed school yesterday, I need to show up today, so I need to get going.¡±


    ¡°I already called them, telling them we got sick, and got a friend to record the lecture.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    A formidable foe. Jack sighed in submission, running out of ideas.


    ¡°Why are you so clingy all of a sudden?¡±


    Jenny squeezed tighter, leaning her head against his.


    ¡°Catching up.¡±


    ¡°To what?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±


    Jack was confused as to why Jenny was acting so weird, and what she meant by ¡°catching up¡±.


    ¡®I don¡¯t get it.¡¯


    (That¡¯s because you¡¯re an idiot.)


    Ellis was apparently up and about, though she never really slept in the first place, and already dealing out insults.


    ¡®Does that mean you get it?¡¯


    (Of course!)


    ¡®Are you going to tell me?¡¯


    (No, this is the kind of thing you need to figure out yourself.)


    Jack stuck his left hand out, and leaned against the wall heavily. Jack remembered his knuckles had been slightly damaged in the fight with V-2, and looked at them, checking for anything that might be wrong,but couldn¡¯t find a single scratch.


    ¡®Val must have fixed it up.¡¯


    ¡°Are you thinking about another girl while I¡¯m right here?¡±


    It didn¡¯t really make sense why she would be upset about something like that, but her tone scared Jack a little anyway. How did she read his mind?


    ¡°Hu hu hu. I see your confusion. You¡¯re easier to read than you think, kind of like a child. It¡¯s really cute.¡±


    Jack felt a little embarrassed at being called cute, but shook it off, afraid Jenny would be able to sense his embarrassment and exploit it. He heard something shuffle behind him, and felt an impact on his back, followed by arms wrapping around him, and forcing their way between his chest and Jenny¡¯s. Legs appeared, wrapping around his waist and resting on Jenny¡¯s thighs.


    ¡°What-?¡±


    ¡°Hello Jack.¡±


    Val¡¯s voice sounded behind him with the usual emotionless tone which caused his back to tingle from the vibration. Jack prayed no one would enter his house with him standing in the living room while two beautiful girls were clinging to either side of him. Jack then remembered he didn¡¯t have any friends outside of this room, and became slightly depressed.


    (You are the only person who can become depressed in a situation like this.)


    Ellis commented on Jack¡¯s unique ability while Jack tried to figure out a way to get the girls off of him. Just as Jack was about to try a new method, nightmare became reality and the door to his apartment flew open, revealing an unexpected figure.


    ¡°Are you Jack?¡±


    The entire room was frozen when a beautiful woman walked in, looking to be in her early twenties, with long black hair that almost reached her calves, and striking purple eyes that looked as if they could see right through you. She gave off an intimidating aura partially due to her stance, but also because her height almost matched that of Jack, who was six feet and two inches tall.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Jack responded after an awkward silence, the girls still hanging on to his back were staring at her with a mix of shock and suspicion. The woman stepped in, closing the door behind her, and began to undress.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get paid by the hour, so lets get this over with.¡±


    Things went from 0 to 100 in an instant, and all Jack could do was step back and try to find words before this woman finished. Luckily, he had two girls on either side of him who weren¡¯t as effected by her looks, and they immediately began to retaliate. Unluckily for Jack, the way she worded things made her sound like a hooker.


    ¡°What the hell, Jack!? Did you order a stripper!?¡±


    ¡°Jack, you must not be thinking clearly.¡±


    Val sounded significantly calmer than Jenny, however her grip had moved up from his chest and wrapped around his neck, squeezing with a surprising amount of strength. Jack was in an even worse position now, and the woman still hadn¡¯t stopped undressing, and was almost down to the vital parts. Jack closed his eyes, and held his hands up to block the image, and managed to get one word out.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    The room quieted, and the dark-haired woman paused, looking at him with purple eyes filled with impatience. Jack was surprised that was all it took to calm this situation down, however it didn¡¯t last long.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that to Jack.¡±


    Val spoke from behind Jack, and Jenny nodded in agreement. Jack was happy they were getting along so well, and had, hopefully, stopped the woman before things went too far.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, I don¡¯t mind if you join in.¡±


    The woman replied with the worst response possible, and resumed undressing while Val and Jenny stared at her, with dumbstruck looks. The woman was now entering dangerous territory, and dropped the skirt she was wearing, revealing something surprising. A long, black tail flicked and waved back and forth, mesmerizing the three humans as their eyes followed it. Jack spoke, genuine interest replacing his flustered state.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 12: Other World Problems part 2

    Jack faced the girl, surprise evident on his face as his eyes fell on her body, her clothes were now almost gone, revealing a long, black tail that flicked and waved back and forth. Jack hadn¡¯t looked closely before, but he was pretty sure he could see two black ears poking out of her long black hair, occasionally twitching, which shifted the hair around it. After hearing his question, the girl stood up, straight, placing her right hand on her hip while leaning slightly against her arm.


    ¡°My name is Sicauria Faeles, I am from the planet known as Animalis, and descendant of the legendary Cattus tribe.¡±


    She responded with a trace of boredom and impatience leaking into her voice, while glancing around his apartment for the first time since she arrived. Jack, Jenny, Val, and Ellis remained silent as her eyes settled on the table that was next to her, catching her attention before she absentmindedly picked her clothes off the floor, and neatly laid them out on the chair that was sitting next to it.


    Light shone through the window to Jack¡¯s right, the morning sun casting long shadows through Jack¡¯s apartment and illuminating the room with an iridescent golden light. The light reflected off her body, which seemed to shine with a golden color and contrast with her dark hair and tail which was a genuinely beautiful scene, but also reminded Jack of her nakedness. Jack snapped out of his stupor with a quick shake of his head, and returned his attention to the current situation.


    ¡°Planet? No, I¡¯ll ask later, please put your clothes back on and tell me what you want.¡±


    Jack retracted his gaze once more, and turned to face the wall and couch behind him, while Jenny and Val dismounted him, and stood facing the cat-woman. Under the disapproving gazes of the two girls next to Jack, Sicauria Faeles pulled her clothes off the chair with a frustrated sigh, and obeyed.


    ¡°I suppose hiding it will just drag things out, so I might as well tell you.¡±


    She paused as she pulled her skirt back into place, and pulled the zipper up, never taking her eyes off the three people in front of her.


    ¡°I want your arm, or it¡¯s design plans, and in exchange, you make take what you like from me.¡±


    Her words were heavy, though she spoke them with confidence that can only be gained through numerous trials and experiences. She pulled her arms through the sleeves of the dark, log-sleeve button-down shirt she had taken off a few moments ago, and began to individually fasten each button.


    ¡°However, if you accept, you will take full responsibility for your actions, and tell me everything about how you managed to combine modern technology with magic.¡±


    Jack held his left hand up in front of his face, his eyes skimming the surface and resting on his knuckles, which were previously damaged, and noticed a faint pink glow just under it¡¯s surface. He turned to face the now dressed woman, and backed up until his calves bumped the front of his couch, then sat down heavily, before answering Sicauria Faeles¡¯s question honestly.


    ¡°I have no idea. In all honesty, this...¡±


    Jack displayed his left arm, releasing a small amount of magic and causing the pink light underneath to pulse lightly.


    ¡°...was completely accidental. All I did was direct the flow of my magic to run through it, and the rest happened on it¡¯s own. I don¡¯t even know how it¡¯s designed, so Val would likely know more about it than me.¡±


    Jack looked over at Val, who had followed him, and had just sat down to his right, leaning her left shoulder against him, while bringing her right hand up, wrapping it around his arm. She looked at Jack for a moment, before shifting her gaze to the woman on the other end of the room. Sicauria Faeles pulled the chair out from the table next to her, and sat on it, keeping the back of the chair to her right, and propping her arm up on it in a relaxed position.


    ¡°Do tell.¡±


    She rested her chin on her arm, and moved her attention over to Val, who brought her knees up, placing her feet on the couch.


    ¡°Jack¡¯s arm is made from ordinary materials. It was neither designed or made from materials that support magic, so the arm itself is nothing special. However, I did design it based off of human anatomy, so it would be easier for his body to accept, and the fact that he used to have an arm with magical flow allowed his brain to adjust the magic to properly fit the arm. In other words, since he had an arm, his brain remembers it, and where the magic used to flow, making it easier to place everything correctly.¡±


    Val had clearly been thinking about Jack¡¯s new arm, and gave a relatively detailed explanation about what might have happened. The woman nodded slowly for a couple of seconds, a contemplative look on her face as her eyes trailed to the roof, following the edge of where the wall meets the ceiling. She stood, pushing the chair away from her with her right hand, while digging in her pocket with her left, and pulling out a small device that resembled a smartphone.


    ¡°May I?¡±


    She approached Jack, passing Jenny who was still standing in front of the couch, and stretched her hand out expectantly towards him. Jack shrugged, thinking there wasn¡¯t much she could do to him with such a small device, and held his left hand out in response. As soon as he did, she grabbed his hand, and jammed his thumb on the screen, which lit up with a green light for a moment before fading away, and he realized how naive his previous thought was.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Sicauria tossed the device up and down victoriously with a broad smile spreading across her face, while Jenny, who¡¯s eyes were too slow to keep up with their movements, just stared at the device for a couple of seconds, while Val continued to cling to Jack¡¯s arm. Jack was filled with confusion at the sudden response, and looked up at the woman questioningly.


    ¡°What did you just do?¡±


    The woman stopped tossing the device in the air, and held it up next to her head, small green words blinked on the screen saying [Contract Complete], though she was holding it upside down, so Jack probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to read it if it weren¡¯t for his advanced eyesight.


    ¡°We are now bound by a contract. The contents cover three things: Purchase, which includes you telling me everything you really know about that arm, and perhaps coming with me to explain it to a few others. Second is payment, in return, I will offer myself to you, and accepting the payment confirms the purchase, along with the third section. The third and final part is responsibility, if you ¡°confirm the purchase¡±, then you will have to take responsibility for your actions and take me as your wife. If any part of this contract is broken, you will become a felon, and have a large bounty put on your head.¡±


    Jack looked at her mischievous purple eyes that stared down at him almost challenging him to retaliate, however Jack had already found the obvious loophole and planned on exploiting it. He leaned forward on the couch, leaning heavily on his feet that were planted on the floor in front of him, and rested his left forearm on his knee before looking up and matching her gaze.


    ¡°So all I have to do is not sleep with you?¡±


    Jack asked, expecting her to have some look of disappointment, but she didn¡¯t, in fact her smile changed from a victorious one into one filled with malicious intent, and she began to approach Jack, much to the other girl¡¯s dismay who shifted uncomfortably. She approached Jack, and leaned forward, placing her right hand on his left knee next to his mechanical arm, and placed her mouth next to his ear, close enough for him to feel her breath.


    ¡°Easier said than done.¡±


    Chills ran down Jack¡¯s back, and Jenny, who had been standing to the side, shaking in rage, walked up behind Sicauria Faeles, wrapped her arms around the woman¡¯s waist and, shifting her stance, lifted her off the ground with a surprising amount of ease. After doing this, Jenny proceeded to carry the woman over to the table, placing her down in the same spot where she was stripping earlier. The smile did not disappear from the woman¡¯s face, and she never took her eyes off Jack the entire time, making him uncomfortable, and causing Val to adjust her grip, wrapping both arms around his, and pressing the side of her face against him.


    After placing Sicauria Faeles down, Jenny looked over at Jack, rage still visible in her eyes, hidden poorly behind a polite facade.


    ¡°Jack, Val and I need to have a talk with...¡±


    Jenny looked over at the woman, who simply shrugged, turning her gaze away from Jack, while sitting down in the chair she pushed away earlier, and directing it towards Jenny.


    ¡°You can call me Fae if you like, though that¡¯s what my friends call me, so if you do you will be admitting you¡¯re my friend.¡±


    Jenny looked back at Jack, switching between him and Val as she walked over to the table that still had Val¡¯s suit and spear on it, and half-sat down on the edge.


    ¡°We need to have a talk with Sic here, girls only.¡±


    Jack nodded hesitantly, and looked over at Val, who was still clinging to his arm, and she nodded towards him with a stubborn look. Jack sighed, and stood up, Val releasing her grip as he did, and placed his hands in his pockets as he began to make his exit. He walked by Jenny, and looked over at Fae with a sympathetic look in his eyes, thinking no creature should be subject to Jenny¡¯s wrath. Jack paused for a second, and lightly placed a hand on Jenny¡¯s shoulder while turning towards her.


    ¡°Play nice, please.¡±


    Without waiting for a response, Jack left the apartment and entered a light grey hallway, before following the staircase down, and exiting the building through the lobby.


    <The Girls>


    Jenny, Val, and Fae listened to Jack¡¯s footsteps as he exited the hallway, and continued down the stairs, waiting for him to leave earshot. Val approached the small, wooden table, and placed her feet in the suit that was hanging off the side. A series of clicking and whirling filled the air as the suit twisted, wrapping itself around Val¡¯s petite figure, turning the small girl into a deadly soldier, dressed in a solid black military uniform, her face hidden by a smooth tinted mask.


    Jenny casually walked over to Val, standing next to her as the two faced the woman while the tension in the air grew. Despite being glared at by Jenny, and having a super soldier express hostile intentions toward her, Fae remained calm, looking almost tired. She readjusted her position, turning to face the two, while leaning back in the chair, causing it to rock back slightly.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know yet? I figured you¡¯d tell him by now.¡±


    Fae started the conversation, breaking the silence with a voice that sounded like a friend casually addressing another friend, and the flame in Jenny¡¯s eyes burned brighter as a result. Jenny and Val both knew what Fae was referring to, and were starting to feel threatened by her ability to see through them.


    ¡°Not yet, and it¡¯s going to stay that way until I decide otherwise.¡±


    Jenny¡¯s voice was terrifying, human or no, Fae could sense something beyond anger, fear, hatred, or love, she sensed Jenny¡¯s obsession. Fae leaned forward, placing all four chair legs on the ground, and taking a slightly defensive posture, crossing her arms across her stomach, and raising her right eyebrow curiously.


    ¡°Of course it will, because you won¡¯t give me any reason to tell him, will you?¡±


    Fae turned Jenny¡¯s threat around, obviously used to intimidating threats, and able to hear the sincerity in her opponent¡¯s voice. Without wasting a moment, Val whipped her arm around, flinging a dark blur at Fae¡¯s head with an incredible speed, shattering the chair, before burying itself harmlessly in the floor. The woman had vanished, turning into black smoke and dissipating into the air.


    ¡°Now now, this won¡¯t do. I won¡¯t get any information out of the boy if I kill you, but I don¡¯t want to spend every waking moment looking over my shoulder either...¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice echoed through the apartment, seeming to come from every direction which removed any target, and the other two just stood there helpless. A slight breeze blew, and a small, black cloud formed inches from Jenny¡¯s face, quickly molding itself into a humanoid figure. Fae¡¯s nose was almost touching Jenny¡¯s as the blue and purple eyes stared at each other as their owners¡¯ wills clashed.


    ¡°I think the dynamic of our relationship needs to change.¡±


    Fae declared the words with no small trace of hostility in an attempt to break the current stalemate. Jenny did not back down, her indomitable will holding fast as she matched the woman¡¯s gaze with a burning intensity of her own.


    ¡°What did you have in mind?¡±

 Chapter 13: Other World Problems part 3

    <Jack>


    Jack wandered aimlessly down the sidewalk, looking around for something to do. Building after building passed by, each slightly different from the others, displaying advertisements for all to see. An occasional car passed by, causing him to flinch slightly in expectation, but ended up being nothing, and he would return to his previous relaxed state.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to get PTSD from all this excitement.¡¯


    (You know, it might be a little less exciting if you stop picking up girls.)


    Ellis said it like he was some sort of player, but jack didn¡¯t really think of his relationship with them in that way, not because he wouldn¡¯t want to be with them, but more because he thought they¡¯d never want to be with him. He was a college freshman with average grades, and no discernible future to speak of, not to mention he¡¯s always going to be pursued by rampaging mythical monsters, and apparently aliens too. He didn¡¯t really blame them, and was just happy they decided to be his friends.


    (Jack, I think your cognitive improvements just help you find more reasons to disprove obvious truths.)


    ¡®Are you really sixteen?¡¯


    (Shut up.)


    Jack chuckled to himself as he passed a fast-food restaurant with a giant yellow M on the front of the building, and stopped for a moment, thinking about whether he was hungry enough to go in. After several moments, his stomach growled, making a very good point, and convinced Jack to go in. The morning sun was beginning to rise higher now, casting a long shadow on the building, and making the usually playful-looking store seem slightly menacing. Jack dismissed the memory of the furies in the other fast-food restaurant, thinking it would be ridiculous for an event like that to happen again.


    (You don¡¯t have to worry, there aren¡¯t any monsters nearby.)


    Sensing his discomfort, Ellis confirmed his safety, and with that, Jack entered the restaurant. The entire place was void of life, aside from a bored employee playing on his phone behind the counter, and a grey wolf that was wandering around the tables. Jack thought it was odd such a big dog was allowed to wander around the restaurant, but then again, he was in a small town, and even his apartment looked like an old motel, with off-white walls and creaky floors.


    The restaurant¡¯s walls, besides the one to his left which led to the kitchen, were all made of glass, which allowed the sunlight to illuminate the room far better than the overhead lights could. Jack approached the counter, and the employee lazily put down his phone, and approached the counter, looking slightly irritated.


    ¡°Whad¡¯ya want?¡±


    He placed his hands on the small screen that sat on the counter, and asked quickly. Jack dug his hands deep into his pockets, and looked up at the menu board behind the counter for a moment, while the guy behind the counter impatiently leaned against the counter. After deciding his order, Jack turned back to the guy, who made a look that was more than slightly pissed off at Jack¡¯s temporary indecision.


    Jack opened his mouth to give his order when he heard something move rapidly to his left, and fly toward him. Barely having time to react, Jack braced for the impact, turning his head away, and using his shoulder as a shield. Something heavy collided with Jack¡¯s shoulder, and he lost his balance, flying off to his right, and straight through the glass door, sending glass and twisted metal flying into the parking lot with him.


    Jack landed heavily, and rolled a couple of times before quickly getting back on his feet, and looking in the direction of the attacker. Jack saw the grey wolf standing where he once was, staring at him with a penetrating gaze as it slowly approached. The employee saw the interaction, and ran the other direction, disappearing out the emergency exit.


    The dog shook, waving it¡¯s fur back and forth, but continued to walk, shuddering and twisting with an audible cracking noise before starting to grow. It continued to approach, growing larger and larger, it¡¯s back paws becoming thick and flat, while it¡¯s front grew long claws and got significantly longer. Jack watched as the grey wolf stood on it¡¯s hind legs, now no more than twenty feet away from him, but could no longer be called a wolf, because this was clearly not an ordinary wolf, but a werewolf.


    The beast was hunched over, and snarling at Jack, drool running down it¡¯s face like a rabid dog, as it occasionally snapped at him.


    ¡°You are the one, the one I¡¯m supposed to kill! Kill! Save the arm, the rest is mine! Mine!¡±


    The werewolf raved madly, shaking it¡¯s head from side to side in anticipation while shifting it¡¯s weight back and forth.


    ¡®Ellis.¡¯


    (It¡¯s doesn¡¯t give out any magic, so my best guess is it¡¯s an alien.)


    Ellis kept her sentence as short as possible, not wanting to distract Jack from the situation any longer than she had to.


    ¡®It said something about my arm, I think, so I¡¯m willing to bet someone sent it here to kill me so they could collect my arm.¡¯


    Jack forced magic out his left arm, and pink electricity shot up and down it rapidly, and burning his left sleeve off his shirt, revealing his bare arm. He was bleeding a little on his right arm from where the glass and metal cut him, but the wounds were superficial, and didn¡¯t effect him much. He opened his right hand, and instead of bringing thread out, he prepared to release magic from his palm, bringing his right arm around behind him, and turning his hand away from his body. The werewolf saw Jack prepare to fight, and crouched down, baring it¡¯s claws and fangs in a fighting position.


    ¡®You know, I¡¯m starting to like this excitement.¡¯


    (You¡¯re whole personality contradicts itself, you know that?)


    Jack smiled, releasing magic from his right palm and rocketing toward the beast with his left arm pulled back, ready to strike, as the werewolf roared in retaliation, and lunged with incredible speed to meet him.


    <The Girls>


    ¡°Cooperation?¡±


    Jenny asked after listening to Fae¡¯s offer. Val had exited her suit, and placed it back on the table, but was still standing next to it, not letting her guard down. Most of the conversation was being done between the brunette and the cat-woman, and Val was wise enough to keep away to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Yes, there are certain things you can¡¯t do in this world, but outside...¡±


    Fae¡¯s smile broadened and her tail flicked a couple of times before she continued.


    ¡°Lets just say the rules are more lenient.¡±


    Jenny thought for a moment, never taking her eyes off the woman. The offer was obviously very tempting, and would take less roundabout methods to achieve the same goal more effectively. Slowly, Jenny raised her hand just above waist-height, extending it in Fae¡¯s direction.


    ¡°If you wait until the right time, then we have a deal.¡±


    Jenny spoke her compromise, staring down Fae, who accepted the hand without hesitation, shaking it and confirming the contract.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Fae spoke after a few moments, releasing Jenny¡¯s hand and taking a step back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call him.¡±


    Jenny pulled out her phone, opened her speed dial, and tapped on the first name that appeared: Jack. The three stood in silence as the phone rang, Jenny tapping her toe impatiently on the floor. The phone rang for several seconds before Jack¡¯s voice appeared in a recorded message, and Jenny immediately hung up, already moving towards the door. Seeing Jenny move, Val stepped into her suit, and followed her out the door, with Fae close behind.


    Jack always answered her calls, or immediately called her back if he missed one, so either one of three things had happened: Jack lost his phone, is in a fight, or has died. That may not be completely true, but that was Jenny¡¯s current thought process, and Val didn¡¯t want to argue, also worried about Jack¡¯s wellbeing. Fae watched as the girls quickly left the building, Jenny entering her car, driving off to the left while Val turned invisible and jumped off to the right, both in search of Jack.


    ¡®This guy is either a really good guy, or, more likely, a really bad one to have these girls so devoted to him. I¡¯m interested in finding out which one it is.¡¯


    Fae thought to herself before vanishing into black smoke.


    <Jack>


    Jack stood, facing the werewolf, catching his breath. Blood trickled down his forehead, and around his left eye, before running down his cheek and dripping off his chin. The werewolf was tougher than he though, matching him in power and speed, but Jack had the upper hand when it came to brains, not to mention magic.


    Jack changed his strategy, holding his right hand at his side, and focusing the magic on a single point of each of his fingertips before pushing out long threads that reached the ground, cutting into the concrete. The ground around the two, along with the restaurant were torn to pieces where the fight had been raging on, and both sides were growing a little weary from the exertion.


    Jack flicked his right wrist, flipping the threads outward to a ready position.


    ¡®I really didn¡¯t want to do this... this is my last pair of good shoes.¡¯


    Jack release the magic from the soles of his feet, dashing with explosive speed and obliterating his shoes as he brought the threads around to the werewolf. Seeing the threads, the creature slashed it¡¯s claws at the threads, but only succeeded in losing it¡¯s arm in the process, and crippling itself. The beast was distracted, and Jack twisted quickly kicking off the ground, and bringing both his feet up to the side of it¡¯s face before releasing magic from both, directing the explosion away from himself.


    There was a loud explosive noise as the werewolf¡¯s head was turned into mush, and sent flying across the parking lot, spraying blood and brains across the ground. Jack landed with a heavy thud, rolling a couple of times before stopping, lying on the concrete and feeling thankful that none of his wounds were serious. The sun was still rising, though it was still hidden on the other side of the building, so Jack figured he would be safe from the heat for a couple seconds.


    ¡®I should probably call Jenny, and get her to give me a ride back.¡¯


    Jack reached to his pocket, but didn¡¯t feel his phone. He then remembered it was destroyed when he escaped the horde of furies earlier, and decided he would just wait until the sun came over the building, then head home. As he was lying there, he thought about everything that has happened in the past few days, and came to a conclusion.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad I met you, Ellis.¡¯


    Jack waited for a response, but when none came, he simply smiled to himself, and rolled on his side.


    ¡®If it weren¡¯t for you, Jenny, and Val, I would probably be at school right now, without a goal or anything to fight for.¡¯


    Still no response.


    ¡®Thank you.¡¯


    There was a long pause before the response came, in a small, timid voice, completely out of character for Ellis.


    (You¡¯re welcome.)


    Jack rolled back to his previous position, planning on looking up at the clouds, but instead saw a tall, dark-haired woman standing over him with a mischievous look on her face. Two ears stood up on her head, and a long black tail flicked and waved behind her with a mind of it¡¯s own as the two stared in silence for a few moments. Jack hadn¡¯t even heard her approach, much less notice her stand over him, and was about to say something when the girl suddenly plopped down on his lap, and laid down on top of him, pinning him down with a surprising amount of strength.


    Her arms grabbed his wrists, pinning them to the ground as she brought her face close to his, and Jack was able to feel her breath on his mouth.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do such foolish things.¡±


    She spoke in a playful voice, teasing him while warning him at the same time, and Jack couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit awkward in this position, and tried in a futile attempt to break free. After he realized his attempts were useless, he quit struggling, and relaxed his muscles, letting himself rest.


    ¡°What if something happened to the girls while they were running around this monster-infested town, and you were too preoccupied fighting something else to save them? Or worse, what if you had died? Isn¡¯t that Val girl relying on you to survive?¡±


    Jack tensed upon hearing Fae¡¯s words, but she still didn¡¯t stop, continuing with the examples.


    ¡°I know what¡¯s in your head, a girl, right? You seem to have a lot of those, and this one¡¯s life is tied to yours. Doesn¡¯t that mean when you risk your life, you risk hers?¡±


    Jack made eye contact with the woman, trying to see what she was trying to accomplish, but instead of the mischief he had expected, her eyes were soft, and sincere. Her voice remained playful, but a trace of seriousness could be detected as she continued, listing things Jack should have thought about already.


    ¡°What about Jenny? Do you think that friendship is one-sided? She has her issues, but she genuinely cares for you from the bottom of her heart, and your stupidity could crush her. Yet you continue, despite all these things, to risk your life unnecessarily.¡±


    Jack looked up at her, knowing she was right, and feeling the weight of his actions all at once.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only fought when it was necessary.¡±


    It¡¯s true Jack had been risking his life, but only when he needed to protect something, or when the fight was unavoidable, like just now with the werewolf.


    ¡°No, Jack, you haven¡¯t. I already know plenty about you, so you can¡¯t fool me the same way you fool yourself. You could have avoided the fight with the furies in the restaurant, just remained calm and ate your food, but you didn¡¯t, and because of that one of the employees died a gruesome death.¡±


    Jack flinched.


    ¡°You were unprepared when Timothy Grant showed up, and dropped your guard enough for him to put in earplugs, and paralyze you, even though you could have stopped him the moment he started acting suspicious, and because of that, Val suffered through hellish psychological torture, and nearly died yourself.¡±


    Jack¡¯s jaw clenched when he thought of the image of Val flying by on the helicopter, curled into a ball and crying profusely. The playfulness had long disappeared from Fae¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Just now you fought a werewolf, which you could have easily run away from, or even killed instantly if you wanted to, but you didn¡¯t, and because of that, you caused a couple of beautiful young ladies to worry about your safety.¡±


    Jack was beginning to feel sick, anger boiled up inside him at his own ignorance, his mind flashing to when he decided to just lay on the concrete for a while without a care in the world while Jenny and Val probably tried to contact him without success.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a game, Jack. The people that die are real, the things you do can¡¯t be taken back, and the things you lose are gone forever. You seem like a good person, so I don¡¯t think you did these things on purpose, but even if it¡¯s an accident, it is still your responsibility, so be aware of your actions, and don¡¯t do anything stupid unless it is really unavoidable.¡±


    Jack and Fae stared at each other in silence for a couple of seconds before another voice came from somewhere nearby.


    ¡°Fae!? What do you think you¡¯re doing to Jack!?¡±


    Jenny appeared in her car, pulling into the parking lot, and promptly exiting the vehicle. A smile spread across Fae¡¯s face as she turned to face Jenny.


    ¡®Yeah, I like this dynamic much better.¡¯

 Chapter 13.5: Monsters and Existences

    <basics on monsters and existences>


    Each monster has two to three evolutions, the higher evolutions are generally more powerful physically and mentally, and there personalities and instincts become more extreme. There are three stages, or classes, between each evolution, upper, middle, and lower classes. Monsters and higher beings tend to focus solely on evolutions, however, humans created the upper, middle, and lower classes to help get a better understanding of it¡¯s level of power. This basic description focuses on the broader evolution and existence differences rather than class differences, but you can just assume that the power rises by about 0.5 with each class upgrade.


    <Significant first evolution monsters>


    Furies- humanoid beings that are masters of disguise. The mid and upper classes can talk in crude voices by imitating humans. The stronger they are, the younger they look is a general rule, however, that rule usually stops when there appearance reaches about 20 years old. Their bodies are inefficient, and require large amounts of magic to sustain their existence, the stronger ones even go after beings way out of their league in a desperate attempt to sustain their insatiable hunger. Generally not hostile to humans and non magical beings, but will attack if they are found out.


    Goblins- small green creatures that often hide in the forest, fearing humans, and using very basic magic to hide themselves. Most intelligent of the first evolution monsters, crafting simple clothes, armor and weapons, and the upper classes can even wield magic in a fight,. Generally non hostile to humans, but will attack if discovered.


    Wyverns- strongest of the first evolution monsters, pretty much small dragons that can even take on some lower class second evolution monsters. Tend to hide up in the clouds, only coming down to eat once a month, and are rarely seen by anyone. Will attack humans when they come down to feed, but such events are rare.


    Serpents- range from 8 to 12 feet in length, look like giant snakes, but are significantly more intelligent. Very good hiders, and have an innate magical ability to blend in with it¡¯s surroundings, and can be found in large concentrations of magic. It will attack anything if it feels threatened, but tends to be lazy, and just lays around soaking up magic like leaches.


    Thrall- most human-like of the monsters, resembling them physically and emotionally, but are generally very stupid with the intelligence of apes, and mostly die out before they get a chance to evolve. Not threatening to humans.


    <Significant second evolution monsters>


    Ghouls- second evolution of furies, attracted to large concentrations of magic, similar to furies, but can go for months without absorbing any magic whatsoever. It¡¯s intelligence is about that of an average humans, and has no problem blending in with a crowd, however, they usually spend their time hunting humans for sport instead of hiding. It¡¯s power is considerable, but it¡¯s speed is what it focuses on the most. Threatening for humans that are alone, or in small groups, but will avoid large crowds of people.


    Orcs- second evolution of a goblin, intelligence does not improve much, but it¡¯s size and magic ability increase greatly. They tend to be 10 to 15 feet tall, and have the ability to eject magic in different forms from their body, and some higher classes can even control the flow enough to use in advanced attacks, and significantly improve their combat ability. Generally lives underground or in caves, preferring the dark and quiet scenery, and have a usually passive nature, so they are not much of a threat to humans.


    Dragon kin- not quite dragons, the second evolution of wyverns and come in many different forms. They often fight amongst each other to achieve their next evolution, but most battles happen high up, the world¡¯s governments usually destroy any that stray down to the earth. If kept in check they are not a threat to humans.


    Leviathan- scaly serpents that burrow in the ground, feeding on the earth¡¯s magic deposits, and rarely come to the surface. They range form 30 to 40 feet in length, and are often decorated with beautiful colors that are coveted by some higher beings. Can be deadly when they decide to attack something, but are rarely seen and don¡¯t show much interest in humans.


    Vampires- Evolution of a thrall, don¡¯t advance much physically, though they are significantly stronger than humans, they are more advanced in intellect and magic, able to wield simple magic with ease, and the higher classes can often use slightly more complex magic if given time. They do not suck blood, but their magic does often look like blood when used. Does not need to feed on magic energy unless it uses magic, so most just hide their identity and leave peacefully with humans.


    <Significant third evolution monsters>


    Wraiths- terrifying creatures that evolved from ghouls, bloodthirsty and overconfident, with sufficient power to back that up. They can use magic to enhance their abilities and turn themselves into a shadow, and usually toys with it¡¯s prey before killing it. They will hunt humans for sport, but are often restrained by some human-loving gods, who bless certain heroes to defeat the creature. Higher class wraiths have been known to build armies, and were often referred to as demon kings, but that has only happened twice in history, and both ended with the hero¡¯s victory. Very rare, but very dangerous to humans.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Ogres- great warriors that evolved from orcs, and are usually master craftsmen, mages, and soldiers, when wraiths make an army, it is usually mostly made up of ogres as officers, and orcs as cannon fodder. Enjoys a good fight, but will usually not attack unless something challenges them or offers them something they want. Generally stay in caves, and are pretty rare, not a real threat against humanity.


    Dragons- legendary beasts that are considered as the strongest monsters, their height typically ranges from about 120-150 feet tall and are able to use magic by channeling it to their head, and releasing it with brute force and obliterating their opponent. They can usually talk, but their words are hard to understand with their odd-shaped mouths, but some higher class dragons can communicate via telepathy. Wraiths often try to beat the dragon into submission, but one has been known to succeed, and that wraith later became one of the demon kings. Incredibly rare, and typically have a lazy nature, so they are not much of a threat.


    Hydra- Evolution of a Leviathan, is dragon-like, but is much smaller and has 3-5 heads, only about 50-60 feet tall, but can regrow it¡¯s heads if it is removed. It does not grow two for every one that is removed, but it is incredibly tough, and fast, with the ability to turn invisible. Very rare, and doesn¡¯t seek out prey like wraiths, but is territorial and will attack if something intrudes on it¡¯s space. The governments usually make those territories off-limits, so they are not a huge threat.


    Vampire lord- evolution of a vampire, has terrifying agility and strength, and are regarded as incredibly intelligent beings who can use advanced magic with little to no effort. Over all, they are bored with life, and just lock themselves away and study for hundreds of years. There are only four vampire lords, and none of them are violent, though they do have a twisted sense of humor, and view themselves as higher existences rather than monsters.


    The differences between existences and monsters is existences were here before monsters, while monsters originate from god¡¯s and other higher existences¡¯ experiments on lower existences, and all have magical energy, while many existences do not.


    <Significant lower existences>


    Humans- beings that are decently well rounded, but often give in to emotions over logic, which is frowned upon by many of the more logical-minded existences. Physical ability is weak, but intellect is decent, and naturally group together to form communities that cover many of their weaknesses.


    Aliens- there are many different types, but they are generally logical-minded existences who aren¡¯t usually very fond of humans or other creatures that think with emotion. They do have emotion, but they do not let it influence their decisions, and because of that, their technology and government is far more advanced than the human¡¯s.


    <Significant middle existences>


    Heroes- people blessed by a god or goddess, and is usually given a task by either talking with one of the god¡¯s angels, or, the more powerful gods and goddesses, give them a strong desire to accomplish something (An example of this is Ellis, when she said she used to bless people and make them fall in love, she can¡¯t manipulate their will, but she can put ideas in their head, and motivate them. Ellis was the most powerful goddess, so other gods can¡¯t do it to this degree). They are typically very powerful warriors that can usually take on upper class third evolution monsters, and usually have a pretty naive view on life, which keeps them from questioning the god¡¯s motives.


    Demigods- created from a god and a lower existence, or from a lower existence that happened to be exposed to copious amounts of magical power, and evolved (Jack is different from this, while he is in control of a ridiculous amount of magical power, it was given to him in moderation, and wasn¡¯t forced into his body. It is more similar to how a hero is blessed, but he was blessed with an entire goddess, if that makes sense). They are incredibly powerful, and usually have a certain type of magic (like water or fire magic), kind of like a god, but significantly weaker. Typically, they are proud beings who are boastful, and have helped humanity in the past, but just to stroke their ego.


    Angels- A race of winged humanoids that serve the gods. In most situations, angels specialize in serving a specific god, kind of like a personal servant, the god giving them magical energy in return, and the god¡¯s social ranking is often decided by how many angels a god has. For the most part, angels are super-beings, quick to learn and physically adept, not to mention beautiful, and gods have been known to abuse their authority over the angels. Their power is usually about that of a mid to upper class dragon, but they are not usually used in a fight.


    Demons- a reference to a stray angel, which occurs when the god they serve either dies or disowns them. When this happens the magical energy of a god is removed from them,and their usually white wings become black, and they are referred to as demons. Demons are rejected by all, and are usually hunted by other gods¡¯ angels and killed, so there are not many that live long.


    <Significant higher existences>


    Deities- in rare occasions, a god or goddess will become crippled magically, either having there magic permanently lessened. They are not friendly to anyone, and still have sufficient power, second only to gods.


    Celestial dragons- much weaker than deities, but nothing to scoff at, being the third most powerful being is unmatched by any existence or monster aside from gods and deities. They are considered existences because they were not created, in fact, dragons were made in their design, with the original intent on making them servants. However, dragons are lazy by nature, and were rejected by the celestial dragons, cast down to earth (there was a large battle between heroes and dragons, but that¡¯s a story for another time). They are prideful, as are all higher existences, but are the most agreeable, and will listen to the pleas of those weaker than them.


    Gods- by far the most powerful beings, unmatched by any other, and they know it. There are two different kinds of gods, the cocky ones that view all lower beings as unworthy to lick their shoes, and the kind that find lower existences amusing, and like to watch them. The first kind are usually abrasive, and constantly scramble for power, stepping on anything or anyone they can to get there. The second type are usually pretty passive, enjoying their time toying with lower existences, and are usually the ones that bless heroes. Unfortunately, about 90% of gods are the first type, cocky and self-centered, so gods are not really trusted by any other beings in general.

 Chapter 14: Making Friends part 1

    The rest of the day passed quickly, and Jack spent most of his time thinking about what Fae had said to him about his recklessness. She was right, whether he liked it or not, when he did something stupid he was risking more than just his own life, and hurting the people closest to him. He needed some rules to follow, rules he would not break. Jack considered the previous situations he had been in, and began taking notes in his head on how he could have avoided unnecessary risk, and from these notes he began to form a set of rules.


    The first rule: fight only to protect. Whether it¡¯s is a loved one or a total stranger, something considered valuable or worthless, if you consider it worth protecting, then fight to protect it. Never fight just because you feel like it, or to test out an ability, if you need to test something, then try it out on an inanimate target.


    The second rule: don¡¯t be cocky. When you decide to fight, don¡¯t hesitate or show off, that creates unnecessary risks and openings that your opponent can exploit, not to mention breeds overconfidence.


    The third rule: fight responsibly. When you fight, make sure to minimize collateral damage, but don¡¯t risk losing the thing your protecting, just avoid dragging others into the fight unwillingly. Your opponent will likely break this rule, so make sure you are prepared, and try to move the fight as far from other people as possible.


    The fourth rule: consider your opponent. Fighting with fists is not always the best way to win a fight, there are different kinds of opponents with different skill sets, so be sure to consider what kind of opponent you are dealing with before selecting a method to fight.


    The fifth and final rule: don¡¯t overthink it. If you stop to take these rules into consideration while in the middle of a fight, it will probably cost you. Don¡¯t hesitate to act if there isn¡¯t time to consider the variables, because a moment¡¯s hesitation can cost you everything.


    Jack scribbled down the list on a small, lined piece of paper, folded it, then shoved it in his pocket. He figured he would have to make some modifications later, but as for now, these would help him keep on track. Jack was now dressed in new clothes, his wounds treated by Val and Jenny, and he was feeling good as new after a good nights sleep. He had slept on the couch despite Val¡¯s complaints, letting her sleep in his room along with Jenny, who wouldn¡¯t leave his apartment. Jack hadn¡¯t seen Fae since Val and Jenny had treated him, disappearing after making sure none of his injuries would need her help before leaving without saying a word.


    Jack was now standing in his kitchen, awake before the others, and making himself breakfast while preparing to go to school. He had missed quite a few lectures, and was determined to make it to school today, though he still had several hours before he even had to leave. Jack pulled a cup out of the cabinet, then grabbed a small white packet that was in a box on the refrigerator, tearing it open and pouring a fine brown powder into the glass, before opening his fridge, pulling out the milk, and filling the glass. He mixed the concoction with a spoon, thinking about what he could do until school started. After a while, he stopped mixing, and lifted the cup of smooth brown liquid to his lips, remembering his destroyed phone, and making up his mind to get a new one.


    Jack reached over to the notepad he had just used, and tore another piece of paper off the front, and proceeded to write a note telling the girls where he went, and used a magnet to pin it against the refrigerator. Jack then left the apartment building, and turned right, walking down the sidewalk to where he knew a phone store was. He enjoyed his walk, still early in the morning with the cool, crisp air gently brushing his face, and filling his lungs, and the dark sky, that still made him feel like it was night. After several minutes, Jack reached his destination, the glass front displaying signs advertising their service plans, and the phones they had available. Jack approached the door, but saw another sign displayed, but this one wasn¡¯t an advertisement, it was just a bland white sign with black cursive letters stating the store was closed.


    (Tough luck.)


    Jack sighed and nodded, turning away from the glass door.


    (I¡¯m sorry to say this now, but it¡¯s only going to get worse. I can sense a decently strong magical energy nearby, something much stronger than anything you¡¯ve faced so far.)


    Jack¡¯s attention was directed to his surroundings, scanning for any signs of life but finding none, aside from a homeless man across the street.


    ¡®It¡¯s not him, right?¡¯


    (No, its off to your right, and moving around a certain area with speed that far surpasses yours. If I were to take a guess, It¡¯s probably a ghoul.)


    Jack shifted, turning his body to the right, just in case, looking out while scanning for signs of life. Now that he had a general direction, he could hear faint shouts and screams from somewhere out of his sight.


    ¡®What¡¯s a ghoul?¡¯


    (The second evolution of a fury, it¡¯s next an final evolution is a wraith, which is considered a high-level monster, and, in some cases, can even hold it¡¯s own against a dragon.)Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Jack felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as he heard a woman scream with a mixture of fear and pain evident in her voice, and Jack made up his mind.


    ¡®Ellis, can I go through the magical enhancement now?¡¯


    Jack began to walk toward the sound at a decent pace, the light from a couple of stores casting long shadows across his face. He was wearing blue jeans, a dark blue hooded jacket shifting as he walked, and some old, red tennis shoes on his feet, stepping lightly on the ground.


    (Yes, you can, though you do have some scratches, but they would likely do no more than bleed now.)


    Jack smiled, then ducked in an alleyway between a clothes store and a fast-food Mexican restaurant, quickly lying down on a relatively clean part of the ground, looking up at the early morning sky. Jack prepared himself, and then focused, easily accessing the magic flowing inside of him, and followed it¡¯s movement.


    ¡®I hate this part.¡¯


    Jack forced the flow to reverse, forcing the magic through his entire body, and once again experiencing the the agonizing pain as he rolled on the ground, sweating heavily.


    <???>


    A man in his early twenties stumbled over a trash bag in his attempt to escape, stumbling, but regaining his footing quickly, and resuming his previous pace. His breaths were ragged, gulping the crisp, cool air that burned like fire while his heart beat so hard, he though it would explode at any moment.


    ¡°Ah. Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    The voice of his pursuer was calm, unfazed by the events that just took place, and almost sounded bored. The man heard something wet fall on the ground behind him, making a splattering noise, and he threw his body out of the alleyway, landing hard on the asphalt of the open street. No one was there, the street was completely void of life as the man picked himself up off the concrete slowly, blood dripping and creating small crimson pools below him.


    ¡°Goddammit.¡±


    The man whispered through his panting, his legs and back were burning from where he had been thrown against the wall earlier, and he knew he couldn¡¯t run anymore. His adrenaline had gone out, and he was losing blood fast, as he pushed with all his might to lift himself up, but only managed a sitting position. He faced the dark alleyway he just exited, and let out a sigh as his heartbeat lessened, resigning himself to his fate.


    ¡°My my, you really don¡¯t put up much of a fight. And I though I was going to get a chase out of it.¡±


    A tall figure emerged, one the man had seen many times, but never like this. There was a boy, about eighteen or nineteen, wearing a light blue t-shirt with a picture that was hidden under the mass of blood and gore that was clinging to him, and dark brown slacks which were almost black now.


    ¡°Thomas, why?¡±


    The man stared at the boy, who had once been his friend, with a look of sadness and anger on his face. The boy didn¡¯t react, he just stopped, holding his hand up, which had some unrecognizable organ in it, with a satisfied look on his face. The man recalled that same face as the boy known as Thomas slaughtered the people he called friends, ripping them apart while they were still conscious. The man shook his head, pushing the memory from his mind with a shudder, before looking back up at Thomas, barely able to hold up his head.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s not as fun as it used to be.¡±


    Thomas crushed the organ in his hand, and blood sprayed on his face with a noise that nearly made the man vomit.


    ¡°That look of betrayal on their face gives me a feeling that borders orgasmic, but now... now people only show fear for their own lives. It¡¯s sad, really.¡±


    The boy tossed the remains on the ground next to him before turning to face the man, and a smile appeared on his face. He took a step forward, his foot coming down off the sidewalk, and onto the asphalt road.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the look... that¡¯s what I¡¯m looking for.¡±


    He took another step, his smile twisted with wicked intent openly displayed on his face. The man tried to escape, but only fell on his back, which sent a shocking pain coursing through his body.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll take your face now, before that look disappears, so I can see it whenever I choose.¡±


    Thomas was now standing over the man, looking down at him with glassy eyes, a faint green light in his irises, dancing with pleasure. The air turned cold, and the man was shivering violently from the pain and fear that clutched his body tightened it¡¯s grip. Thomas¡¯s head jerked up suddenly, sensing something before a loud explosion and a roaring wind rushed over the man, nearly lifting him off the ground and he closed his eyes.


    The man opened his eyes again moments later, realizing he was still alive, when he heard something to his left. The man looked over to his left to see a series of blurs and explosions, pink electricity occasionally smashing into a nearby window, or destroying the front wall of a building. The asphalt was destroyed where the event was happening, kicking up and flying in every direction as blows were exchanged between two powerful beings.


    One exceptionally loud shock ended the fight, sending something careening over the man¡¯s head, and down the street to his right, spraying blood across the walls and ground before landing, digging up the road, only a pile of red pulp left. The sky was getting brighter as the sun drew near, and the man was able to see much better now.


    Footsteps sounded to the man¡¯s left, and he turned to see a boy, about eighteen or nineteen years old standing there with a smile on his face. It wasn¡¯t Thomas, it was someone else, a tall boy with dark black hair, and red light dancing in his irises. His left arm was glowing light pink static occasionally flicking out in a random direction, casting an unearthly light on it¡¯s surroundings. His right hand was open, long red threads with light pink flames came from each of his fingertips, floating around in the air as if under water, and the man wondered who this person could be.


    The boy¡¯s face seemed familiar, as if he¡¯d seen him somewhere before, but he couldn¡¯t put his finger on it. He would have asked if he weren¡¯t stricken dumb by the sight that seemed to happen almost in slow motion.


    ¡°Call 911, and get an ambulance.¡±


    The boy said, then disappeared the air exploding out from where he had previously been. The man laid there shocked for a moment, then took his phone out of his pocket, and dialed 911. The phone rang for a moment, then an operator picked up.


    [911, what is your emergency?]


    ¡°I need an ambulance on Old Hickory Road. I got a bit hurt, and can¡¯t get to a hospital.¡±


    [Okay, got it. Is there anyone around you?]


    The man paused. He knew who that boy was, he was the kid in his class, the one that always sat in the back with that ridiculously beautiful girl that is obviously smitten with him.


    ¡°No, I am alone.¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s right, I remember now! It¡¯s Jack!¡¯

 Chapter 15: Making Friends part 2

    Jack made it to school just in time, and Jenny was already waiting for him in the back corner of the room. As usual, Professor Edward Newgate was not there, and would most likely be late to this early morning class, though no one blamed him since he was already nearing eighty years of age. Jack crossed the front of the room, turning left before proceeding up the stairs that made up the center isle. He turned in the back row, and saw Jenny, along with a boy who was sitting on the desk next to her, facing her with a flirtatious look on his face. Jenny was beautiful, so this was not unexpected, and actually happened all the time, however, Jenny was not good at dealing with these kinds of situations, so Jack usually ended up dealing with them.


    Jack approached, his usual emotionless face brought to bare against the boy, approaching without hesitation.


    ¡°That¡¯s my seat.¡±


    jack spoke with a voice that reflected impatience, and caught his attention, along with Jenny¡¯s, and she smiled. The boy turned to protest, but saw his irritation, and decided not to poke at him, standing up, and dusting himself off. Jack was irritated before he even came to school, the usual excitement of his new life coming to a pause as he had to sit through a lecture on something he already understood. He didn¡¯t really want to go at all, but, if nothing else, it gives him some time to learn more about his magic from Ellis, and Jenny may kill him if he drops out of school. The boy turned to face Jenny as he left, flipping his long, blond hair back out of his face in a gesture that Jack only saw as feminine.


    ¡°Catch you later.¡±


    He left, bumping Jack¡¯s shoulder as he passed, but Jack just ignored it, and proceeded to sit down next to Jenny, placing the supplies in his hands down on the desk in front of him. Jenny was smiling with her usual mischievous look seeping through her expression, and Jack wondered if she made him chase off guys just to entertain herself, but shook the thought away, she doesn¡¯t have any reason to do that.


    (Unless she she¡¯s jealous of Val, and wants you to fight for her too.)


    Ellis talked for the first time since before the magical enhancement, stating something Jack thought was ridiculous, Jenny was definitely the jealous type, but there was no reason for her to be jealous of Val.


    ¡®I doubt that. If that were true, then this would be something new, but she¡¯s always been this way. She just needs my help as a friend sometimes, even though she won¡¯t ever ask for it.¡¯


    (So? Doesn¡¯t that mean she always wants you to fight for her? Girls like to be pursued by the ones they like, and fighting for them is one of the most obvious ways of pursuing them.)


    Jack looked over at Jenny, who had put away her mischievous smile, and had removed several items from her school bag, such as a laptop, notebook, pen, and pencil, arranging them in an orderly fashion in front of her. Noticing his gaze, Jenny paused, looking over at him with taunting blue eyes filled with amusement, shifting herself into an awkward position, and crossing her legs as if Jack was making her uncomfortable.


    ¡°Jack, if you look at a me that way, a girl might get the wrong idea...¡±


    Jack accepted the remark with grace, and let out a sigh in response before going to remove his own belongings out of his bag, and realizing he didn¡¯t have it. Returning to his previous position facing forward, letting the light from the window to his left fill his vision with a bright glare and causing him to squint until his eyes adjusted.


    ¡®Ah... I left it at home. I suppose I don¡¯t really need it, but it would be nice to have a book or laptop I can hide behind, but I¡¯m far enough back that no one is likely to notice.¡¯


    (Notice what?)


    Jack had an idea, one that came to him shortly after his previous magical enhancement, something new that might make things a little nicer for Ellis. After he emerged from the pain, a whole new world opened up to him, including a sharper mind, basic control over his magic even after it leaves his body, dramatic increase in strength, speed, and dexterity, and finally, the ability to feel the separation between his conscience, and Ellis¡¯s. At first Jack didn¡¯t think about it much, but after a while he realized he could push them apart, and found that Ellis¡¯s was linked to his own by a series of small magical threads.


    ¡®Ellis, I have an idea, but it¡¯s pretty risky. If it works you may be able to have some more freedom, but if it fails, something bad may happen.¡¯


    (What¡¯s your idea?)


    Jack leaned back in his chair, separating himself from the world around him as the teacher entered quickly, and immediately began the lecture, catching everyone else¡¯s attention. Jack focused, going deeper into his mind until he could feel his own conscience along with Ellis¡¯s, and he reached out, brushing his thoughts against her.


    ¡®I think I can pull our minds apart, not completely since you still need my magic to survive, but enough for you to move around a little.¡¯


    (Yeah, I noticed too, but I don¡¯t really know what will happen since no god has ever done this with a human before. I am up for it, though.)


    Ellis gave her consent, though she did seem a little concerned, so Jack decided to do this as carefully as possible in order to avoid any tragic mishap. He felt the minds leaning against each other, two orbs that were pliable, and similar to water balloons in texture, connected by small threads of magic. Jack carefully used his conscience to push on Ellis¡¯s, slowly stretching out the magical threads further and further, but they didn¡¯t break, and soon Ellis¡¯s mind was not even touching his. It was successful, Ellis¡¯s conscience moved around in his mind, testing out her new freedom and limits.


    (Jack, I think it worked!)


    Ellis sounded excited, and Jack smiled to himself, thinking about how easy it was, and thankful nothing went wrong, when something began to appear in the corner of his eye. Jack turned to look at what it could be, and, to his left, against the wall, a decent sized blur began to come into view, shimmering as it slowly materialized. Jack leaned forward, trying to assess whether the blur was a threat or not, when the blur began to take a shape, and the vague figure of a person began to appear.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Slowly but surely, a humanoid figure was coming into focus, hovering just in front and to the left of Jack who looked on in amazement. He recognized the person, though he never thought he would see that face again, he was certain of who it was as the haze disappeared. Jack stumbled over his words, and the object of his shock looked around, uncertain of what was happening before looking at Jack, surprise reflected in their eyes as well. Jack finally collected himself enough to speak, and whispered under his breath.


    ¡°Ellis?¡±


    The figure in front of him turned her head, looking at her surroundings as long, blond hair tumbled back and forth in response, and her ruby eyes darted around in confusion. Her petite body hovered in the air, apparently not visible to anyone else, judging by he lack of reaction in the room, except Jack who could only stare at the girl. If he had to sum up her appearance, covering everything from her frilly, white clothing to her smooth, fair skin, she was definitely the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.


    (J-Jack? What the hell happened?!)


    The girl¡¯s mouth moved, but her voice sounded from inside Jack¡¯s head, confirming his suspicions, and pulling him out of his stupor.


    ¡®Ellis.¡¯


    Jack thought to himself, and Ellis reacted, which made relief flow over him, and wash away some of his worry before he continued.


    ¡®Looks like I gave you more freedom than I thought.¡¯


    The ghost-like girl stared at the familiar face, her mind still trying to absorb all of the new information, biting her lip a little as she thought. It was an incredibly cute gesture, but Jack was too preoccupied to have any sort of reaction to it as he curiously thought about the possibilities of this newfound ability, and what it could mean for Ellis.


    (Jack!)


    Ellis flew at him with her arms opened wide in an attempt to give Jack a hug, but passed right through him, and came out behind him, disappointed. Jack, however became even more excited, because even though she passed through him, he still felt something, though it was very faint, it was definitely there. This meant many things, but the first and most important one was that Ellis was really there, and when is conscience got more magical power, he would be able to give more to her, and, hopefully, give her a real body someday.


    (Yay! I¡¯m free!)


    Ellis, who was reading his thought process, immediately perked up, and confirmed his hypothesis, loudly celebrating while flying around over his head.


    (No offense to you, but your head isn¡¯t really girly enough, I was starting to feel encroached upon by your boyish thoughts! Look, I even said encroached!)


    Jack smiled dryly, thinking encroached, while out of Ellis¡¯s character, wasn¡¯t necessarily masculine or feminine, but didn¡¯t want to rain on her parade, and kept silent. Ellis flew further and further, exploring the classroom, and happily having one-sided conversations about Jack with people that just blankly stared ahead without even realizing she was there.


    While she was entertaining herself, Jack figured he should focus on making the threads more effective. They were now much longer, stretching a good twelve feet, and have gotten darker becoming a hot pink rather than it¡¯s previous very light pink, and even caught fire. Jack focused on his flow of magic, and summoned one on each fingertip, keeping his hand below the desk, and to his left side, while studying them. They floated, as if in water, small flames flicked and waved along it¡¯s length, and Jack found that he could control their movements.


    He could easily maintain them subconsciously, and decided to try something else, dispelling the current threads, and preparing himself for the next step. Focusing hard, Jack began recreating the threads, but this time, he concentrated on making more, pushing them out from the base of his index finger, and moving upward, all the time spinning and weaving them together. Slowly but surely hundreds and hundreds of threads emerged, twisting and wrapping themselves around each other to create a rope about as wide around as his finger, which burning brightly. Jack had to quickly dispel it immediately after it was created because it shined like a hot pink beacon, and burned a deep, black gash in the ground, which, luckily, didn¡¯t catch on fire.


    This new rope-like ability was really dangerous, and Jack resolved not to use it unless he had to, or was somewhere far away from any possible casualties. Jack looked up from the deep wound in the ground, and back at Ellis, who was still roaming around near the door, when she suddenly froze. She immediately turned back in his direction, and rushed over with an incredible speed, a look of panic on her face as she came close.


    (Jack! Jack! It¡¯s really bad! We¡¯re in big trouble!)


    Ellis¡¯s words caused Jack to tense, subconsciously preparing his magic for a fight while consciously identifying anything or anyone that might be in the way.


    ¡®Don¡¯t panic, just tell me.¡¯


    Jack¡¯s thoughts were calm, as he tried to settle Ellis down enough for her to relay the circumstances to him.


    (It¡¯s him, that guy, the one from before.)


    Ellis had calmed down, and was speaking more coherently now.


    ¡®What guy?¡¯


    (The one you saved from the ghoul!)


    She pointed behind her to the door, and sure enough, standing there was the guy he had saved earlier that morning, bandages covering his body. He looked just over twenty, with short, dirty blond hair, and a look of almost excitement that appeared when their eye connected. Not wanting to make a scene, the man snuck up the far wall, up to the back row, and walked behind the students¡¯ chairs, with minimal struggle, until he came to Jack.


    Acknowledging the beautiful girl next to him with a quick nod, he turned to Jack, a mixture of suspicion and determination in his eyes as he passed Jack, leaning against the wall in a comfortable position. Ellis puffed her chest out in an ¡°intimidating¡± manner, and floated up so she was looking down at the man. This seemed to be more of a subconscious reaction than an intentional one and made Jack wonder what kind world she was raised in, being this way at only sixteen.


    ¡°I need to talk to you.¡±


    The man spoke in a hushed, but forceful tone, not threatening, but not submissive either, and crossed his arms, assuming a defensive stance. This man clearly remembered Jack, and had obviously found a way out of the hospital just to talk to him as soon as possible. Jack frowned, not wanting to talk to this person now or ever, since he had no explanation for what the man had seen, and no real reason to. It¡¯s not like this man could take this to the police, or try to physically make Jack, and if he tried something against Jenny, Val, or even Fae, though he didn¡¯t have any real obligation to her, then he would die before he knew what happened.


    Jack looked up at him, and shook his head slowly, not being necessarily rude or nice, but simply informing him that he had no desire or obligation to talk with him. The man paused for a second, expecting this response, and already having a backup plan created in his mind, which, with Jack¡¯s answer, had been implemented. Jack was relatively introverted, and only had a couple of close friends, which left his largest weakness exposed for all to see, and that weakness was... overly curious extroverts.


    The man walked over to the chair next to Jenny, and sat down, which was actually the first time someone had sat there without having Jenny in mind, and leaned back in his chair with a slight creaking noise to make himself comfortable. Jack was irritated, but didn¡¯t drive him away, since he wasn¡¯t bothering Jenny and was probably hoping Jack would say something.


    ¡°Name¡¯s John.¡±


    The man said as he tilted his head back, and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply in a way that resembled a yawn, but kept his mouth closed. Jack ignored John¡¯s comment, and turned his gaze to Jenny, who had never looked up from her work, either completely enraptured or really good at hiding her curiosity. The man smiled when Jack didn¡¯t respond, and thinking he might regret this later, laid out the gist of his plan.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the one annoying you from now on.¡±

 Chapter 16: Making Friends part 3

    Jack spent the rest of his day avoiding John unsuccessfully, trying his best to blend in with crowds, or sitting silently in the back of the room, but to no avail, since John seemed to have some sort of Jack-detector. Everywhere he went, John would follow while repeatedly asking for an explanation, but Jack would just shake his head and ignore him, hoping his pursuer would get bored, and leave him alone. However it did not, continuing for the rest of the day until Jack went home, and was able to shake John off his back by ducking in and out of alleyways, and running on a couple of rooftops.


    Jack returned home mentally exhausted from the day¡¯s events, and went straight to bed, collapsing on the soft mattress that hugged his body and relaxed his muscles. He was asleep within moments, even though the night was still young, only about seven in the evening and the sun just setting and turning the sky a deep golden color. Jack slept deeply that night, and, unbeknownst to him, was joined by two others laying on either side of him and resting close. The third was denied this out of fear for Jack¡¯s virginity, and the third submitted, knowing she would likely get nowhere anyway while the other two were present.


    The next morning, Jack woke up alone and looked around at his surroundings, noticing his night vision had significantly improved, and he could see normally in the poorly illuminated room. Jack climbed out of bed, and immediately began his morning routine, which started with a shower, noticing when he exited his room that it was still dark outside, and the rest of the world was still asleep. He saw Val and Jenny sleeping on the couch, practically on top of each other, their legs meeting in the middle and tying a human knot while their heads on either side of the couch, sleeping soundly. Fae was nowhere to be seen, and had probably left, going wherever it is she goes to sleep.


    ¡®It¡¯s good they get along so well, since Jenny doesn¡¯t really have many female friends. Actually, now that I think about it, she doesn¡¯t have many friends at all, which is probably the reason she is so overprotective of me.¡¯


    Jack let out a sigh, feeling slightly sentimental while looking at the girl who was seemingly his polar opposite, and thinking about how lucky he was to have such a good friend.


    (I think you may have got it a bit backwards, but it¡¯s less scary to think of it that way, I guess.)


    Ellis appeared, materializing in front of Jack, a familiar voice with an unfamiliar face, stretching out her arms as if just waking up, though it was more likely she was just enjoying her freedom. She flipped her hair back, and let the long curly blond hair tumble down her shoulders, and her ruby-red eyes meet Jack¡¯s as she drifted closer.


    ¡®Don¡¯t follow me into the bathroom please, I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡¯


    Jack turned to his right, and opened the brown wooden door, entering his bathroom with a towel in hand, and Ellis following closely behind.


    (Why not? I¡¯ve seen you naked plenty of times while trapped in your head. Why are beings so obsessed with nudity and mating? The gods were this way too, but I never really understood why.)


    Watching her talk gave Jack a feeling similair to seeing your favorite voice actor in a live-action movie, and almost seemed like the voice didn¡¯t fit the person¡¯s looks. Jack closed the door behind him, and Ellis floated straight through without any effort, stopping when he turned to face her.


    ¡®You really don¡¯t understand? You¡¯re the goddess of love right? Mating is a big part of love... I think. In any case, in most human cultures, it is usually only done with someone as a way to express your love. Kind of like the next level of a kiss.¡¯


    Ellis seemed curious, watching Jack with big eyes as he explained the importance of mating with a slight blush. Just because he was surrounded by girls now, does not mean he had enough confidence to discuss intercourse with them as if it was nothing.


    (Really?)


    ¡®Well, that¡¯s kind of how I look at it.¡¯


    But I don¡¯t think Fae loves you, so why would she do it? If you don¡¯t love her, and she doesn¡¯t love you, then what do either of you gain by mating?)


    Ellis¡¯s ignorance of human culture nearly gave Jack a heart attack, and he quickly shooed her out of the bathroom. She reluctantly obeyed, turning away with a disappointed look on her face before drifting through the door.


    ¡®That goddess is going to be the death of me.¡¯


    Jack turned away from the door, and proceeded to shower, got dressed, ate breakfast while ignoring Ellis¡¯s persistent questions, and proceeded to leave the house, making sure not to wake the girls. Jack had enjoyed his early morning stroll the previous morning, and thought it might be a good idea to go for a walk until the phone store opened, which, Jack assumed, would be around eight. He looked up at the sky as he left the building, and from what he knew about himself, it was probably around midnight, or earlier since he just went through a magical enhancement.


    Ellis sensed that Jack was enjoying the silence, and decided not to interrupt, instead indulging herself in his memories, specifically ones that focused on human reproduction.


    Jack inhaled deeply, thinking about the past week and the events that transpired in that short amount of time. It was Saturday now, more than a week had passed since he met Ellis, though it felt like more, probably because every day had been packed with death-defying battles, and new, shocking developments that kept him busy. Now that things had calmed down a little, and there were no more pressing threats, Jack felt free from stress, and allowed himself to indulge in the quietness of the world around him.


    Jack dug his hands deep into his pockets, and closed his eyes, relying on his other senses to lazily navigate himself down the sidewalk, and buildings that provided the only light on the street. It he continued this for a few minutes before a fearful voice filled his head, and cold water poured down his back, and spread out to the rest of his limbs.


    (Jack... run...)


    Ellis was almost whispering, but Jack had no idea what was happening, frantically searching the area for any threat no matter how small, but found none. The feeling of eyes watching him caused his back to tingle, and he turned, looking for the source, but only large, ominous buildings stood, casting deep shadows for an enemy to hide. However, the enemy didn¡¯t come from the shadows.


    ¡°Hello... Jack... was it?¡±


    Jack turned around and his eyes widened when he saw the figure standing in front of him, calm and collected, looking to be in his early twenties. The man stood comfortably, not really threatening Jack, but more just standing, as if naturally waiting for a response. Jack didn¡¯t reply, shocked while trying to figure out how the man got behind him without making any sound, or even disturbing the wind enough for Jack to sense it. The man dressed casually, wearing blue jeans and a blue t-shirt that was mostly covered by a black jacket which made seem almost human.


    An aura assaulted Jack, an oppressive feeling that weighed down on him, almost pushing him into the ground, but the man still showed no sign of hostility, only chuckling at Jack¡¯s confusion.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright, I assumed this might happen. I suppose it would be rude to not give you my name after appearing, and already knowing yours.¡±


    The man shook his head, a bit of embarrassment at his own bad manners, then offered up a friendly hand.


    ¡°My name is Charles White, it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    His voice was friendly, and Jack nearly accepted the hand subconsciously, but quickly stopped himself, and summoned up his magic. Jack did not forget, or take lightly the warning Ellis had given him earlier, and ejected magic out of his feet and right hand at full power, rocketing himself back at the speed of a bullet, the air around him breaking at the force, and shattering the windows of the nearby buildings. The man paused for a moment, retracting his hand, and releasing a sigh, while reaching up to scratch his head.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°Why does this always happen?¡±


    He whispered, then vanished. Jack was still flying through the air, releasing more magic occasionally to maintain his speed while questioning Ellis.


    ¡®Why did I have to run?¡¯


    (It¡¯s a wraith! An upper class one at that! Usually a hero has to take one down, so all you can do now is hope it doesn¡¯t decide to pursue you!)


    ¡®What¡¯s a wrai-¡®


    Jack¡¯s thought was interrupted when a black blur streaked across the sky, from the direction Jack had just left, and slammed into his abdomen from his right side, blowing him away. Jack smashed through several buildings, and nearly lost consciousness as he was buried in the sixth or seventh building¡¯s rubble, finally stopping. His entire body screamed in pain with every breath, and he gripped the side that was struck by the blur, feeling his ribs click and scrape with every little movement.


    Jack pushed himself up, trying his best to ignore the pain that threatened his sanity, and let the concrete, and metal fall of his body, and clatter to the ground. The man Jack saw earlier was standing just outside of the newly made maw of the building, an apologetic look displayed on his face, as he held his hands up in front of him, as if wanting to help, but not knowing what to do.


    ¡°Oh my god! I¡¯m so sorry! I got a bit carried away, but I promise I didn¡¯t mean to, I just wanted to talk.¡±


    Charles White inhaled deeply, and Jack stood, waiting for the man to continue, all the while trying to think of a way out of the situation.


    ¡°What do you want?"


    Jack forced out the words, barely able to breath because of his wounds, and his shirt, which was barely hanging on to him now, was slowly being drenched in sweat. Jack¡¯s raspy breath filled the silence until Charles¡¯ response came, still maintaining an apologetic tone as he continued.


    ¡°I see. Well, I know I¡¯ve made a bad first impression, but I promise it was an accident, and I have an ogre friend who may be able to help with your injury. As for what I want, I simply have a proposition for you, and you may not like it at first, but please, hear me out.¡±


    The man straightened, dusting himself off, and taking a more business-like tone over his previous one. The night deepened, and the world was much darker than when Jack left, only the stars and half-moon illuminating the world around the two. There were holes in each of the buildings behind Charles white, revealing the path Jack had taken after the attack, and creating more tension.


    ¡°I am organizing a... group, of exceptional beings, such as yourself, to realize a dream, one filled with peace and prosperity-a utopia, if you will-where all people can live together without fear of pain or suffering. Of course, I can¡¯t stop death, no one can do that, but I think I can at least reduce some of the suffering, and make life a little more bearable.¡±


    Charles rubbed his chin, sliding his palm down the front side while wrapping his fingers around it, as if stroking a beard, and choosing his next words carefully, his eyes trailing off as he was wrapped up in his thoughts.


    ¡°But... as do all dreams, there are certain... sacrifices that need to be made, both on our part, and the ones that will benefit.¡±


    Jack¡¯s expression darkened, he knew where this conversation was going, and he was already preparing to release more magic to escape. Noticing this, Charles quickly tried to settle Jack down, stepping forward and giving his explanation.


    ¡°Now, I know how that sounds, but it¡¯s not like that. I have no desire to rule the humans, I only want to make this world a better place for both monsters and humans, while keeping both in check. Right now monsters are oppressed, both by gods and humans, and while most of them should be, not all of them are out to get humans, like ogres, and wraiths such as myself, yet we are constantly hunted and demonized solely for being different. I am simply proposing that we, for lack of a better metaphor, trim the hedges, and centralize each group in nice, even districts where humans and intelligent monster can live in peace, while the unintelligent ones can all live happily murdering each other to their heart¡¯s content. It¡¯s honestly a win-win situation.¡±


    Jack was still standing defensively, magic brought to bare, but not using it since he knew there was no way to escape.


    ¡±And how would you achieve this separation?¡±


    ¡±Well, that is the tricky part, to keep everyone organized, and everything running smoothly, everyone would be given a specific task, and as long as they complete that task, and follow a certain set of rules. If they obey, then they will live happily in a peaceful world where everyone is treated equally.¡±


    ¡±And if they don¡¯t?¡±


    The wraith shrugged, confirming Jack¡¯s suspicions and leaving him with only one more question, one that had been nagging at his mind since the conversation began.


    ¡°Why would you care about this? You¡¯re already strong enough to survive if someone attacks, and you look human, so you don¡¯t have to hide in the shadows.¡±


    Charles smiled, remembering some far-off memory as he grabbed the base of his left ring finger with the thumb and index finger of his right hand, rubbing a small, golden ring that Jack had missed until now. The man became glassy eyed, snapping back to reality, and blinking the nostalgia away before returning to the conversation.


    ¡°I have... personal reasons. You can rest assured that I harbor no ill-will towards humans, and am only making the hard decision for the greater good of all that inhabit this planet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not your decision to make, Charles.¡±


    Jack voiced his opinion calmly, but with plenty of caution, trying not to offend the wraith who was obviously emotionally involved in these plans. Charles white just shook his head, a light smile on his lips.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s not, but the people who should make this decision won¡¯t because they are already cozy, building their empire on the lives of thousands. They waste perfectly good food, throwing it away because they don¡¯t care for the taste, while others die of starvation with the dream of full stomachs in sight, only the lack of money holding them back.¡±


    His face darkened, the anger inside him boiled up, overflowing in the air around him and blocking the stars from view.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen things, horrible things that no one should ever see, much less experience. In this world, you don¡¯t have things that you own, you only have things that you lose, whether it¡¯s today, or generations from now, no matter how much power you have, no matter how much you love something, you will lose it. Someone will take it from you, and you will never get it back. That¡¯s what I am going to change.¡±


    A look of determination replaced the anger, a passionate gaze met Jack¡¯s face, and searched for a response, but found none. Jack maintained his poker face, not giving anything away as he stared back blankly.


    ¡°What do you say, Jack? You want to make the world a better place?¡±


    Jack took a step forward, carefully measuring each step, and contemplating what Charles had told him.


    ¡°You underestimate humans. If you get burnt by a flame, you don¡¯t suddenly have the right or ability to control it¡¯s flow, or what it burns, you simply deal with the pain, or die from the wounds. Humans are uncontrollable, and will always resist peace because it isn¡¯t in their nature. I¡¯m sorry, but if you play with this fire, you¡¯re going to get burnt, either by me, or someone stronger.¡±


    Charles smiled at Jack, the friendliness gone, and a disappointed look replacing it as he listened to the ex-human¡¯s point of view. Neither backed down, and the tension rose rapidly as the night air gently blew in and out of the now open building, and Jack prepared for a fight, creating a long whip on his right index finger that burned a hot pink color, while his left hand lit up, burning the remainder of his shirt into nothing.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not disappointed. I had high hopes for you, Jack, and I am very curious as to what kind of power you have, but... I respect your views, and will not pursue the argument any farther. However...¡±


    Charles White emitted a threatening aura for the first time, directing the weight of his words solely at jack, who nearly collapsed under the pressure, and had to fight to stand.


    ¡°...if you interfere, we will have a disagreement, and it will not end with just one hit.¡±


    The wraith stepped to the side, revealing the holes Jack had made when he received the blow earlier, then vanished, as if he was never there. Jack released himself, and collapsed on the rubble, holding his side in pain as a warm, wet substance filled his hand as he stared up at the stars that were once again visible.


    (Jack, a-are you okay?)


    Ella asked with a voice that revealed her fear, and she materialized in front of him, floating just above him while looking down.


    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll probably be healed by the time the girls wake up... are you okay?¡¯


    Ellis face distorted, tears became visible in her eyes, which gave the rubies a glassy coat, and making them look like real gems. Jack smiled reassuringly, shifting to a more comfortable position.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m still here, and I don¡¯t plan on going anywhere anytime soon.¡±


    Jack spoke the words out loud instead of thinking it, and her tears released, crying heavily as her image hugged him. Jack could barely tell she was touching him, but he, moved, holding his right arm up, and stroking the back of her head, his fingertips barely tingling with each stroke.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let anything happen to you, I promise.¡±


    Jack made a mental note to steer clear of that wraith unless the situation became urgent, hopefully there were still gods that cared enough about humans to interfere. However, if it comes down to it, he will hopefully be able to separate Ellis from him completely before challenging it.


    (Jack...)


    Ellis had calmed down now, and was able to speak clearly, though she spoke in a soft voice that was still a bit shaken.


    ¡®Yes?¡¯


    (Will you promise me something?)


    ¡®Okay.¡¯


    There was a hesitation before the final response, and Jack thought she might have actually fallen asleep, but then the silence broke.


    (After I come back all the way... will you... mate with me?)

 Chapter 17: Big Game Hunter part 1

    Jack and Ellis arrived at the store at about eight-thirty, noticing the sign out front indicating the store had finally opened. Luckily, the store was not damaged during the fight between him and the wraith and was opened for business with two or three people moving around inside. The pair entered the shop, the pale lights humming slightly above them, illuminating the room unnaturally as one of the salesmen approached with an equally synthetic smile.


    ¡°Welcome! Please, come in and have a look around, and let one of us know if you need any help.¡±


    The man was decently short, not really fat but not thin either, wearing a button-down, bright blue shirt that was partly covered by a black vest, which matched his dark pants. His blond hair was combed neatly to one side, though it had a waxy look to it when the light hit it and cast a glare on Jack¡¯s vision.


    Jack had gone to the store after the ordeal with Charles White, and bought himself a new pair of clothes to replace the tattered remains of his old ones. However, the old lady behind the counter who was clearly checking him out made him very uncomfortable, and he ended up ditching some of the items to speed up the process and escape.


    Jack began his search for a new phone with Ellis, who was making suggestions based on each device¡¯s features rather than it¡¯s functionality and cost. With a limited budget, Jack was forced to ignore most of her suggestions and pick from the much cheaper flip-phones instead of the more aesthetically pleasing smart phones, moving his gaze to the back corner of the room. There were several different types; ones that slide to the side, ones that actually flip, and ones that were just a screen with a keypad attached. He thought for a second before settling on one of the flip phones, thinking the enclosed screen would protect it better form damage it might receive during his future ¡°activities¡±, not to mention some of them looked pretty sleek.


    (I don¡¯t think you know what sleek means.)


    Ellis disapproved of the flip phones, but didn¡¯t complain very long since she knew how limited his finances were since Val had moved in, and because he was hosting Jenny and Fae in the past few days. He still thought of himself as lucky, because in the past the only person he could spend money on was himself and Jenny, even though he was living off student loans at the moment since jobs in this area are pretty rare.


    He summoned the salesman from earlier over and bought the phone, ignoring the man¡¯s constant compromises and deals that were alway just out of his budget, and leaving the store quickly before he was able to be tempted. Flipping up the top, Jack wondered if he could somehow find a way to get paid by fighting monsters, but dismissed the idea as stupid. The government already had people doing that, and he had attacked one of those people, so he would more likely be attacked that welcomed if he showed up asking for a job.


    ¡®Where do you even apply for a job like that?¡¯


    He thought the question to himself rhetorically, but Ellis who was floating next to him seemed to take it pretty seriously, a thoughtful look on her face as she considered an answer. Jack was going to stop her, but the image of her trying to think up an answer was really cute, so he decided to let it be. After.a few moments of intense thought the girl came to a conclusion, visibly changing her expression as her excitement filled the air around her.


    (I bet Val would know!)


    She was right, Val used to work for Timothy Grant, who in tern worked for the government slaying monsters and probably making a lot of money. Jack praised her, patting her on the head lightly, though he was barely able to fell any substance as she giggled to herself in happiness.


    (Don¡¯t forget your promise, okay?)


    Jack froze, awkwardness visible in his stiff movements as he recalled their conversation from earlier and laughed nervously, withdrawing his hand, and placing it back at his side.


    <Earlier that morning>


    ¡°What?¡±


    Jack was confused by the request and still thought Ellis didn¡¯t get the full implications of this action even though he had just explained it to her. He shifted his weight, but she didn¡¯t move from her place on his chest, showing no intention to let him get out of this conversation.


    (I was the goddess of love. I saw billions of people find happiness in their love for each other, but never got to experience it for myself. I was only sixteen, and the closest thing I had to love was a crush on another god that was thousands of years old, one that I thought was way out of my league but showed me kindness in every interaction and led me on. His name was Phobos, the god of fear-but was very kind despite what everyone assumed, and was always able to lend an ear whenever I needed it. He was the one who killed me, poisoning me with a black knife that I had often admired when I came to his home.)


    Jack remained silent. He may not understand Ellis very well, but he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to interrupt someone that was opening their heart and revealing their vulnerabilities. Ellis continued, her tone calm and controlled.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    (I definitely feel something for you, but I don¡¯t know what it is. It¡¯s like I want to be with you all the time, and I don¡¯t know what I would do if I didn¡¯t have you around... it¡¯s hard to explain, but it¡¯s kind of like a missing puzzle piece, something is obviously missing and it will keep on bothering me until if find it. I think mating will show me just how big that piece is, so please promise me, the moment I am whole again you won¡¯t say no.)


    Jack¡¯s mind raced. She went a whole lot deeper than he had expected, even using a metaphor to describe how she was feeling and asking him to do something about it. He sighed, letting his body relax on the rubble as he formed his response.


    ¡°Ellis, I can¡¯t promise that I won¡¯t say no.¡±


    Jack spoke out loud, and Ellis flinched at his words as if they had stung her, but he wasn¡¯t finished yet.


    ¡°What I can promise is that if you are absolutely certain that the feeling you just described is love, then I will not say no.¡±


    Ellis floated up, a wide smile displayed on her face that lit up her features in spite of the dark night sky behind her, but her eyes remained serious as she looked at him. Jack became a little uncomfortable at this, and sat up, facing her with a questioning look.


    (What if I¡¯m not the only one that loves you?)


    Jack sighed at her ridiculous question, letting out the breath he didn¡¯t know he was holding as he shook his head from side to side. He chuckled to himself at the thought of more than one girl falling in love with him, but the reality in his mind dismissed it, since there was only one girl in the world with even slightly confused feelings for him. He leaned forward, bracing his right arm on his knee as his left hand cradled his broken ribs.


    ¡°That¡¯s not likely to happen, but if it does, then I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll figure out what to do.¡±


    He gave a half-hearted response that Ellis just smiled at, not knowing of Ellis¡¯s secret plan that had just begun it¡¯s first step into taking shape. Jack stood up, painfully stretching out his already healing body, then stepped down out of the hole and into the world, ending the conversation.


    <Now>


    ¡°Yeah, I won¡¯t forget.¡±


    The sun was just peeking over the horizon, a golden light flooding the empty street and signaling the time for Jack to return home. He had been out walking with Ellis for over eight hours, healing from and thinking about what he should do about Charles White, and the army he was building to ¡°Fix the world¡±. Jack was planning on leaving it alone and leaving it up to a hero to defeat him later, but Ellis had informed him that heroes didn¡¯t usually arise until decades after a demon king¡¯s reign of terror begins, so he definitely had to act. The main issue was that he was weak when compared to the wraith, so weak that it would take little more than a flick of Charles White¡¯s wrist to end his life on the spot before he could do anything.


    Jack considered his options taking in to account the fact that he couldn¡¯t go through another magical enhancement for at least another two days if he was lucky. He had decided to attack smart and slowly weaken the demon king¡¯s army and delay him for as long as possible until he could go through another magical enhancement before a direct confrontation. Ellis had located a group of second evolution monsters moving underground not too long ago, apparently trying to keep their presence a secret. Jack assumed they were working with the wraith since, according to Ellis, this is uncommon behavior for second evolution monsters who were usually independent and even hostile towards each other.


    Jack thought it was a better idea to prepare before this fight, specifically telling the girls where he was going and not to come after him under any circumstances. Even though Val and Fae were strong, he did not want to put Val under any more pressure after what she went through with Timothy Grant, and hopefully keep her out of fights from now on until she decided she was ready. As for Fae, Jack still did not trust her. He didn¡¯t think she would kill him, but he was still unsure whether or not she would go against his plan and end up with both of them six feet under. Jenny was still human, and Jack never wanted her near a fight, whether it¡¯s between two magical beings or not, he figured it would be best to keep her safe.


    (Do we need money?)


    Ella asked a question that was likely a continuation to the conversation about working with the government to pay for his living and educational expenses. Jack chuckled, shaking his head reassuringly as he strolled down the sidewalk, his apartment building coming into view.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing to worry about. I was just thinking out loud.¡±


    In reality, Jack did not think things would stay the same for much longer and the world will soon find out about the things the government had been hiding all this time. Charles White is going to cause a ruckus, there was no doubt about that, and unless someone stops him, there will likely be many human casualties. He remembered the wraith talk about ¡°trimming the hedges¡± and did not think that just meant localizing people into more organized groups-no Charles White was much smarter than that. He knew there would be people that rebelled, people that would stick up for mankind, and his plan was to cut off anything that sticks out. For lack of a better metaphor, trim the hedges.


    The two stopped at the front entrance of his apartment building, the words [Jamison Apartments] written in black cursive letters on the front window along with the picture of a small red house. Jack paused out front, thinking he may pass the point of no return in the next couple of days, fully committing to becoming the god of love at the sacrifice of the human known as Jack. He hated to admit it, but anyone tied to him now would be drug along with him to this world of monsters and magic where a life could be extinguished in an instant. Before he faces Charles White, he would have to face his friends, and tell them what they would be getting into if they decide to remain by his side.


    He had a couple of days to prepare before he would face the demon king, and he had decided that he would take the girls out to do something nice after he fought the monsters. He figured he would be done by about ten thirty, and after that the rest of the day would be theirs, a small vacation from the insanity that was now their lives.


    (Fu fu fu. Such a greedy boy.)


    Ellis thought to herself privately so Jack could not hear, fading out of his vision so he could concentrate on the task at hand.


    (Three dates at once is a bit much, even for you.)

 Chapter 18: Big Game Hunter part 2

    Jack entered his apartment, noticing Val and Jenny were already up and about making themselves breakfast, and getting ready for the day. Fae, as usual was nowhere to be seen and would probably remain that way until she had a reason to return, such as a life-threatening situation or a time when Jack¡¯s guard was down. Jack inhaled, holding it for a moment before releasing the breath along with some of his stress, then closed the door behind him, catching the girl¡¯s attention. Jenny looked up from her seat at the table, eating a multicolored cereal out of a small blue bowl, and the box sitting next to her displaying the brand name in large, colorful letters.


    Val had apparently just left the shower, since her silvery hair was still wet, and was now in the kitchen about to prepare herself breakfast. She turned to face him as he entered, her usual unchanging expression visibly unresponsive, and, while seemingly emotionless, somehow gave off a warm feeling.


    ¡°Morning, Jack.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Jack.¡±


    The two greeted him simultaneously, and he nodded in acknowledgement, stepping deeper into the room with quick, yet calculated movements. Jack reached into his right pocket, and removed a small communication device about the size of his palm, displaying it as he began his explanation.


    ¡°I got a new phone this morning, and it should have my old number set up on it, so we shouldn¡¯t have any more trouble with communication unless something happens to it again.¡±


    Jack had intentionally gotten a phone that would be more protective, but he was now thinking it wouldn¡¯t matter how much tougher it was if it took a direct hit. He figured it would be best to set it in a safe place if possible before he fought from now on, or at least remove it from his pocket, and toss it on the ground. In any case, he continued as the two sat listening attentively, carefully choosing his words.


    ¡°There¡¯s a small group of monsters nearby that I need to check out, but it shouldn¡¯t take long, and isn¡¯t likely to be dangerous.¡±


    Jack placed the phone back in his pocket, shifting his weight to a more comfortable position and continuing before the girls had a chance to protest.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather do this one alone, but to make up for it I will take you two, or three if Fae shows up, out and do whatever you want to as long as it stays within the budget.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to tell them they couldn¡¯t come without giving them a reason, but they would likely insist if he told them about the aspiring demon king and their previous meeting. He didn¡¯t want them involved in any way with Charles White, and what Jack was planning on doing would most definitely aggravate the wraith, and likely end in a fight. Keeping Jenny and Val as far away from Mr. White significantly raises their chances of avoiding getting pulled into the fight that Jack was going to provoke. However, there was still a large chance they would be roped in, and Jack knew it, which is one of the reasons he decided to take them out in the first place.


    Charles White viewed himself as the good guy, trying to take this chaotic world and organize it for the betterment of all living things. What better way to catch a good guy¡¯s attention is there than introducing a bad guy that hindered him from accomplishing his goals? It was this hero syndrome that Jack would have to play into, becoming the villain in order to hold the wraith¡¯s focus and keep his friends out of harm¡¯s way. Jack considered continuing persuasion earlier, however Ellis informed him that wraiths still retain the obsessive parts of their personality, and are often very stubborn. Persuasion would likely be ineffective, and while it was happening, the wraith¡¯s army would be freely roaming about while executing the first part of Mr. White¡¯s plan.


    Thankfully, the girls seemed to take the bait, and became excited about Jack¡¯s offer to take them out. The early morning sun¡¯s rays were dancing through the blinds of his window, creating horizontal lines of golden light and shadows, that seemed to separate the room into many tiny sections as smiles appeared on the girls¡¯ faces.


    ¡°Pick your words carefully, Jack.¡±


    Jack turned to see Fae standing off to his right, just outside the kitchen area, with a different kind of smile on her face. Her smile looked slightly forced, but her confidence and bold voice made up for it ten fold as she took a couple of steps forward, closing the distance between them. After she was close enough to feel his breath, she stopped, her amethyst eyes intensely staring at his as her tail flicked and waved behind her, ever so slightly pushing her skirt up as it did.


    ¡°Or you might accidentally agree to something you wish you hadn¡¯t.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t being even remotely subtle in her warning, and Jack immediately became uncomfortable, taking a step back to distance himself from the thought. He shook his discomfort off with a quick shrug, and walked forward, stepping to the right as he passed the alien, and entered his room which was directly behind her.


    A few moments passed as the girls patiently waited for Jack to emerge from his room, which took a surprisingly short amount of time. His door opened, revealing a tall boy dressed in a solid black hoodie and blue jeans, the brim of a red hat poking out from the top of his head. He wasn¡¯t wearing any shoes or socks on his feet, which kept his steps almost silent as he left the room with long, quick strides that carried him past Fae and straight to his front door. He paused when his hand touched the bronze handle.


    ¡°No sex.¡±


    Having said that, he pulled the door open and disappeared from Jenny, Val, and Fae¡¯s sights, and into the world outside. The three stood inside the apartment, two faces showing a slight disappointment at Jack¡¯s last words, while the third stood to the side with the same forced smile, and confident attitude.


    <Jack>


    Jack ran, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, each time propelling himself at an incredible speed towards his destination. A girl that only he could see floated beside him, her body unaffected by the intense speed at which she was traveling.


    (Not far now, it seems they are moving underground while winding through several tunnels, so they are probably using the sewer to get around undetected.)


    Jack jumped diagonally, crossing over the street before landing on the stretch of rooftops running parallel to him, then continued on before anyone had a chance to see him. He has recently been able to crudely emit and manipulate magic in the air around him, which allowed him to control a lot of the wind and sound that were produced from his quick movements. This allowed him to travel quickly without tearing up the ground and his surroundings, which alerted all the people nearby of his presence. Though he couldn¡¯t hide himself completely, this did almost eliminate the sound, which would make someone second-guess themselves if they just happened to catch a glimpse of him.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡®Can you tell what they are?¡¯


    The air whipped past him, colliding with the magic that he had formed around himself, then losing it¡¯s momentum before becoming nothing more than a gentle breeze. The girl responded with a nod, her golden hair catching the light of the sun while the air passed through harmlessly, giving her a look befitting of a goddess.


    (Yes, and they are definitely a part of the wraith¡¯s army. There are about twenty to twenty-five lower class orcs, about fifteen lower- to mid-class ghouls, and one upper-class orc. Make sure you are careful of the upper-class orc, he is most likely the leader and well-trained in the use of both magical and physical combat.)


    ¡®Got it.¡¯


    Jack continued in silence for a while, the beautiful morning light painted across the canvas created by the clouds, going from deep red to bright gold as the crisp air filled his lungs, overwhelming his senses with a warm feeling. About three minutes passed before the silence was interrupted, Ellis¡¯s voice pulling him out of his almost dream-like state.


    (There¡¯s something wrong.)


    ¡®What is it?¡¯


    Jack responded immediately, a very serious tone glazed over his words as he increased his speed, the sense of urgency Ellis gave him sharpening his mind.


    (They surfaced, and are moving around... They¡¯re moving a battle formation!)


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    Jack clicked his tongue, releasing the restraints he had put in place to avoid being seen, and redirected his magic to his right hand and bare feet. With an explosive noise, Jack propelled himself through the air, blowing away some of the shingles and concrete that he was previously standing on. Moving like a bullet, the wind tore at his clothing which caused it to beat rapidly up against his body, but he didn¡¯t slow down, releasing the magic again from his feet and hand.


    ¡®If anyone dies because I stopped to change...¡¯


    Jack shook the thought out of his mind, there was no way to change that now, he had to focus on the task at hand. Keeping his distance from the ground, Jack searched the earth below for the monsters, and quickly spotted them. There was a large commotion, the creatures had surfaced near people, who had taken their phones out to record it rather than get the hell out of there. Now in position, with the orcs organized into rows that were four long, and six wide and the ghouls surrounding from the sides, covering the flanks, the monsters waited. One orc dressed in battle armor stood directly in front of the others, and raised a large ax over it¡¯s head, while the rest leaned forward in anticipation.


    ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t.¡±


    That was clearly a signal in preparation of a fight, and Jack had no intention of letting a single person die here because of his own mistake. Releasing the energy again, this time flying straight down at full speed towards the upper-class orc, his determination increasing as he approached. Jack began creating a long rope that extended from his right index finger, drifting as if weightless, unaffected by the wind. His left sleeve caught on fire before immediately tearing away to reveal a brightly glowing hot pink arm, electricity sparking, shooting off uncontrollably in random directions in short, thin streaks.


    Hearing the noise, and feeling the magic release, the leader looked up, locking eyes with the aspiring god for a split second before Jack¡¯s left hand was brought down and turned him into a liquid. A loud shock blew many of the observers off their feet as the gore of the orc stained the ground, and it¡¯s armor imploded on itself, both turning inside out. Though Jack didn¡¯t emit magic from his left arm with that strike, the sheer force and heat of it had reduced this great warrior to mud, and attracted the attention of everyone within earshot.


    Jack, who had landed after the attack, pulled his hood up, covering the sides of his face from the humans¡¯ view as he turned to face the monsters. The orcs stopped completely, unsure of what to do without their commander, but the ghouls who were natural loners moved without hesitation, closing in from every direction. They moved with considerable speed, forcing Jack to take this fight seriously as the first one approached from his left, and Jack moved back defensively. These monsters were much smarter and more organized than the ones Jack had previously fought, and Jack almost didn¡¯t notice the one that came at him from behind in a surprise attack.


    Jack twisted around, reaching out with his left hand, and caught the monster by it¡¯s face, squeezing hard as it¡¯s skull cracked, then imploded, covering him in it¡¯s blood and brains. Using his momentum, Jack spun around, now facing the largest portion of the ghouls as he whipped his right arm horizontally across his body, followed by the whip made of a dark pink magic. The ghouls moved instinctively, but most of them were caught, losing limbs, heads, and some even getting their torsos halved by the rope, which cut through them as easily as it did the air.


    Now collecting themselves as they lost more than half of their deadliest fighting force, the orcs in the front three rows charged in an attempt to overwhelm Jack with sheer numbers while the back stayed behind, summoning magic of their own. The remaining seven ghouls had regrouped, and were charging at the boy in the hood from the opposite direction, forcing him to choose between the quick, and the powerful. Seeing this Jack redirected his magic, removing it completely from his right hand, and focusing it all in his left, causing it to become brighter, and the sparks to occur more often. The two waves approached from either side, threatening to swallow him whole as he leapt upward, moving up dozens of feet with pure physical ability, then lowered his hand, letting his now open palm face downward at the monsters.


    Magic was released, flying out of his palm, forming a bolt of pink lightning about a foot in diameter that split apart into scores of sparks, that coated the ground in the bright light. Flowing over the ground in an organized, yet chaotic way, the electricity enveloped them, burning dozens of holes into each of them as horrific screeches filled the air. The humans were long gone, running away in fear about the time Jack had shown up, but not before getting a few videos and pictures, which would likely be all over the media in a few moments.


    By the time Jack landed, the screeching had stopped, and the last monster had been reduced to a smoldering corpse. The stench hit Jack, the smell of burning flesh and more than a few showers¡¯ worth of blood and gore now infested his body and made him nauseous.


    ¡®Now for step two.¡¯


    Jack ditched the hoodie, throwing it on the ground next to him, then unbuttoned his pants before removing them, and revealing a second pair of jogging pants underneath. Now that monsters were now known to the public, there would most certainly be many people out looking closely for any phenomenon, so using supernatural speed to get around was impractical. He didn¡¯t want to be followed home, or at least leave anyone that follows him with doubt and no evidence so he can at least have a few more days of relative peace without any news reporters beating down his door.


    The attention of the people would most likely be focused on studying the monsters¡¯ anatomy, though they would have to rely on the videos and pictures that were taken, since monsters disappear after they die. Jack looked around, the corpses already dissolving into ash, and crumbling down into the cracks created during the fight. Now in a new set of clothing, he began walking away from the scene, and noticed his surroundings for the first time. The monsters had emerged directly next to an old military that had been emptied for some reason, and was now just a fenced-in plot of land.


    (Mr. White is most likely trying to take down your country¡¯s military force.)


    Jack continued walking, wondering why such a clever wraith¡¯s first target would be so small, and just cause the rest of the world to brace for such attacks. Thinking on this, Jack began his walk home to prepare for his day out with Jenny, Val, Ellis, and Fae.


    <???>


    A figure Jack had failed to notice watched from the shadows, unknowingly disguised by a higher existence as he watched the boy walk away from the scene.


    ¡®So much power... how can one person do so much damage?¡¯


    Slipping out of the shadows, the figure began following Jack, keeping his distance to remain undetected while ducking behind different objects at any chance he got.


    ¡®It¡¯s... unnatural.¡¯


    From somewhere far away from this world, a large man stood, black robes lined with a golden yellow pattern tumbled down his lean physique, giving him an intimidating presence. His face was clean-shaven, and his eyes were an odd yellow color, which seemed to flicker and wave as if on fire.


    ¡°I found you.¡±


    A smile split his face, which seemed young, but was creased and weary with experiences that could only be gained through many lifetimes.


    ¡°Now... Let¡¯s have a little fun.¡±

 Chapter 18.5: Out of the Frying Pan

    It was about ten o¡¯clock by the time Jack made it home, and the media was already exploding with assorted videos and conspiracy theories explaining the events. Since only a couple of hours had passed, there were still no theories even close to the truth, and most of them were trying to use science and logic to explain something that defied both. Jack contemplated the repercussions of the wraith¡¯s actions while trying to guess at Mr. White¡¯s  future intentions, but came up with nothing. It didn¡¯t make sense to attack such an insignificant base that would make absolutely no difference in an all out war unless he was trying to distract them from something much bigger, or testing something.


    ¡®What¡¯s bigger than monsters trying to take over the world? Also, this move would be a little risky just to test out the humans¡¯ power.¡¯


    (It is possible he wasn¡¯t testing the humans.)


    Ellis was floating next to him, a thoughtful look on her face as she joined his efforts in figuring out the aspiring demon king¡¯s plot.


    (Think about it. Why would he send a relatively powerful group of monsters to attack an area with such a low population? He was most likely wanting to see what you would do, since you¡¯re the only thing in this area that could stop them.)


    The goddess brought up a good point that seemed to make a lot of sense. Jack¡¯s response showed both intention and ability to fight back against the wraith¡¯s army, and measured his approximate level of power. Jack sighed, and shook his head.


    ¡®This kind of thinking will have to wait until later. Right now I have other matters to attend to.¡¯


    Jack decided to put these issues aside for now, but kept his guard up just in case the likely event of something bad happening comes to pass. Entering the apartment, Jack was welcomed by three of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen, standing ready in his living room.


    Jenny was wearing a dark-blue tank top with blue jeans and white tennis shoes, a black purse hanging over her shoulder. Jack¡¯s eyes drifted over to Val, who was wearing a frilly, white dress that hung down just above her knees, and swayed with each of her movements, complementing her silvery hair well. Jack figured Jenny was the one who dressed her, and mentally acknowledged her skill, while looking over to the scantily-clad cat-girl. Fae was wearing something that could easily be mistaken for underwear made for some weird S+M fetish.


    The room went silent for a moment, Jenny seeming slightly frustrated at all the attention Fae was getting, Val rubbing her knees together awkwardly while blushing, and Fae standing tall, proudly displaying her clothing.


    (Where did she even get that?)


    Ellis muttered to herself the exact same thing Jack was thinking, though he had no voice at the moment to vocalize his feelings, and just stood there for several moments. The silence grew as the four, including Ellis, stared at Fae, who looked around at the others with a slightly confused expression.


    ¡°What? I told them earlier that this the customary way to dress when going out on a special occasion.¡±


    There was still no response from the others for a while afterwards. Luckily, Jenny finally broke the silence, and was able to convince Fae to wear some of her clothes for now, since Fae¡¯s would draw unnecessary attention. With a couple of complaints, Fae was now presentable to the world, wearing one of Jenny¡¯s more kosher dresses which was still quite revealing due to their size difference, and a black baseball cap to hide her ears. Seemingly satisfied with her new dress, complimenting it¡¯s black color saying it was ¡°dark in all the right places¡± and ¡°fit like a glove¡± to which Jenny stuck her tongue out mockingly.


    The group set out, leaving the apartment building, and heading to the street where a full day of fun awaited them.


    The street Jack lived on did not have much to do when it came to entertainment, aside from the park, but was not lacking in clothing shops, and other assorted stores that one would normally go to browse than buy something in particular. Jenny had referred to it as the ¡°perfect date street¡± on a couple of occasions, and had forced Jack out on little shopping trips several times since he had moved here. Jack had simply gone along with it then, but was secretly hoping Jenny would not bring it up in conversation now that there were others here that may misinterpret it.


    (Like how you misinterpret everything else?)


    Jack ignored Ellis¡¯s snappy comment, and returned to the task at hand, letting Jenny lead the way to their first destination. They walked for several minutes with Jack trailing behind with Fae while letting Val and Jenny whisper back and forth between each other under their breaths. Jack probably could have listened in, but he thought it would be rude to eavesdrop and decided to just enjoy his view of construction crews reassembling the destroyed buildings. His ¡°fight¡± with the wraith had done quite a bit of damage to several local buildings, however those were pushed off on the monsters that had appeared not far from here, and Jack was not likely to be questioned.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    (Jack, I¡¯m going to go look around through the stores, okay?)


    Ella interjected on his thoughts, making him pause to consider letting her wander out on her own, but eventually nodded in approval. Nothing besides him had been able to see her so far, and she could disappear if she got into trouble, so she should be safe. Ella smiled brightly, then flew off to his right, inspect a clothing store that was displaying the latest fashion for a moment before disappearing through the walls. Jack sighed, noticing Fae¡¯s footsteps approach his left side before matching his speed, and drawing in close, almost brushing against his shoulder.


    ¡°So many secrets... what is it you keep on looking at? Does it have something to do with your newfound power? Or your arm?¡±


    Fae had apparently noticed his eyes trailing off in pursuit of something invisible to her, and had become incredibly curious. Jack still had quite a bit of trouble trusting her, and had no intention of sharing Ellis¡¯s existence with anyone he didn¡¯t absolutely trust. She cocked her head to the side cutely in an attempt to see my face better, her long black hair flowing out of the baseball cap Jenny had lent her to hide her ears, and dangling down to the side.


    ¡°Why would I tell you my secrets when you won¡¯t tell me yours?¡±


    Jack responded blandly, not necessarily rude or polite, but simply stating his perspective. Fae smiled, then straightened in resignation, returning to her previous position next to him before slowly drifting a couple of inches away. Jack thought the conversation had ended with that, however Fae had no intention of relenting in her search for information.


    ¡°I see... then, if you wouldn¡¯t mind satisfying my own personal curiosity, why haven¡¯t you pursued any further relationship with these girls? Surely you would be able to snag at least one of them.¡±


    Jack paused, considering whether not he should reply, and found no real reason to withhold his response, though he would have to omit a few things for personal reasons. He sighed, slowing his pace to distance himself away from the girls in front of him, not wanting them to hear what he was about to say.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, but only as a way of thanking you for pulling me out of my own head earlier.¡±


    Fae closed the distance between them, lightly leaning against his arm in anticipation as he continued with in a low tone of voice.


    ¡°You have probably figured out how valuable they are to me, without them I would be alone, probably forever. Because of this, I would give absolutely anything to keep them safe, or make them happy, which is why I can¡¯t let myself think of them as anything more than friends.¡±


    Jack¡¯s face didn¡¯t change, but Fae seemed even more intrigued now, wrapping her arm through his to bring him closer.


    ¡°From now on, my life is going to be hell, and I will likely die before I reach the level of power that would be sufficient to protect them. I don¡¯t know what love is, but if it¡¯s no more than an intense feeling then I will learn to deal without it, and let them fall for someone else. Someone that will love them with all their heart and keep them safe from the things I can¡¯t.¡±


    Jack slowed, almost stopping for a moment, his face darkening for barely a second before returning back to normal, and he resumed his pace.


    ¡°If it¡¯s more than just a feeling, then I will take the repercussions head on, and submit to the consequences. I¡¯m hoping I can take on all of the weight, and let them live out their lives in happiness. It¡¯s the least I can do considering what they¡¯ve been through and what they¡¯re going to go through for my sake.¡±


    Jack¡¯s face had a hint of determination reflected in it, a seemingly unstoppable will to do what he thought was best for his friends. A thought came to Fae¡¯s mind, one that Jack had failed to address in his plan.


    ¡°What if they fall for you?¡±


    Jack¡¯s determined look was shattered, before quickly being replaced by a sad smile that reflected his other reason for avoiding a relationship.


    ¡°Who would want a guy like me? I¡¯m not charming, or funny, or good looking, and my future is still undetermined. I would be a poor choice.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s their choice to make, whether you like it or not.¡±


    Fae began to walk faster to keep up with the ever-distancing Jenny and Val, who were still deep in conversation, probably talking about what they wanted to do next. The cat-girl pulled Jack along with her, forcing him to move at closer to the others with renewed enthusiasm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of yourself like that. It¡¯s insulting to your friends who care about you, and only makes you miserable. Besides, you¡¯ll be my husband pretty soon anyway, so don¡¯t act like you¡¯ll be alone forever!¡±


    With that, the pair rejoined the others, and resumed their trip together as a group.


    <???>


    Hidden by a higher power, a single man watched the group from a distance with eyes slowly filling with jealousy and anger.


    ¡®This guy won the fucking lottery of life! Look at that group of girls fawning over him! Why don¡¯t I get something like that? He doesn¡¯t deserve it any more than I do, so why does he get everything and I get nothing?¡¯


    The man¡¯s fists clenched in frustration as he watched the group of girls surround him as he stood there seemingly unfazed. The implications made the man furious, and he began to curse under his breath, knowing there was nothing he could do to change his fate.


    ¡°Do you want it?¡±


    A cool voice filled with power beyond even Jack¡¯s imagination sounded from behind the man, causing a jolt of electricity to run up his spine. He turned to face the stranger, but saw nothing in the direction of the voice which only heightened his fear.


    ¡°Want what?¡±


    The man responded in confusion at the voice¡¯s inquiry, looking around frantically for any trace of it¡¯s owner. A face materialized, and cold, green fire igniting the air around it as it floated just in front of the man¡¯s face with a malicious smile. Green flakes made of an odd energy floated behind it¡¯s head, drifting off before disintegrating into nothing, and the man thought he might be dreaming.


    ¡°Power, of course.¡±

 Chapter 19: Big Game Hunter part 3

    <Ten years ago>


    ¡°Class, I would like to introduce a new student today. He recently moved here, and is currently living with his uncle in the apartment building across the street, and I would like you all to make him feel welcome. Jack, would you please stand?¡±


    A tall, beautiful teacher with long blond hair stood in front of a gathering of approximately twenty young children, their ages all around nine or ten years of age. The early morning sun shone through the window, and provided the primary light that illuminated their faces as they all turned to look at the back of the class, their attention drawn to the one that stuck out.


    Slowly, with an expressionless face, a young boy about the same age as the other children stood, his chair audibly sliding back in response. Silence dominated the room as the entire audience awaited the dark-haired boy¡¯s introduction, but none came. Several seconds passed as the boy scanned his surroundings, studying each face with an apathetic look that hid none of his obvious disinterest in them. To their disappointment, he sat down without saying a word, and the children began to whisper their theories back and forth amongst each other with not-so-hushed tones.


    ¡°Thank you, Jack. Now, please open your math books to page thirty-five...¡±


    Seeing the boy¡¯s shyness, the teacher regained the attention of the group before quickly attempted to redirect their attention to a less pleasant subject. Moans resounded as books clattered heavily on the children¡¯s desks and pages flipped as the children dramatically expressed their displeasure with the dreaded subject. The teacher looked around the class to make sure everyone was doing as they were told when she noticed one of the girls noticing the new boy, a young girl with short brown hair and deep blue eyes.


    The teacher smiled to herself as she decided to play the matchmaker, and ignite a flame between two children that may even grow up to get married in the future. She giggled inwardly at the thought of being the one that initiated this love, then raised her hand to catch the girl¡¯s attention.


    ¡°It seems Jack doesn¡¯t have his books yet... um, Jenny, would you mind sharing yours with him?¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically while collecting her book, papers, and a pencil, moving quickly in Jack¡¯s direction.


    ¡®This is good. If nothing else, she can at least be his first friend in this new school. Jenny¡¯s a good girl anyway, though she is rather possessive with her things, and doesn¡¯t deal well with other children. All she needs is someone her age that has the patience to see her good side, and they will have an invaluable friendship that will survive the test of time. Or fall desperately in love...¡¯


    However, the teacher couldn¡¯t deceive herself for long, and her real intentions leaked through her thoughts as she blushed, thinking it would have been nice to have a teacher like herself as a child.


    The boy watched the girl name Jenny approach him, dragging a chair loudly behind her with her left hand while clutching various items in her right as she passed down the isle. Some of the children around her cast odd looks of pity in the boy¡¯s direction, and Jack responded with a curious gaze of his own, uneasiness washing over him. His questions were soon answered as her cute smile melted away, quickly being replaced with a sadistic look that sent chills down the boy¡¯s back despite his high mental tolerance. Jenny arrived on the left side of his desk, a seat up along side him, and sitting down heavily as she plopped her supplies down on his desk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t bite!¡±


    She announced cutely, before leaning in close, looking deep into his eyes as if trying to force her soul into his, the corners of her mouth turned upwards as her glee became more evident.


    ¡°What I do is sooo much worse than biting.¡±


    She whispered a continuation to her previous statement as the boy simply watched without giving any sort of reaction. Jack had no intention of indulging in her sick game or entertaining her with fun reactions, and decided to take all of her crap as if nothing happened.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll get bored eventually.¡¯


    <The present>


    A bright pink blur flew down the street, the force of the resulting wind tearing up the asphalt and mangling storefronts as vehicles along with many civilians were thrown up and away to their deaths. The blur landed, burying itself into the ground and sending shrapnel shooting out in every direction, causing even more damage to it¡¯s surroundings. Panic ensued as people ran in every direction in an attempt to escape from the scene in front of them while a tattered figure fought for it¡¯s consciousness in the pits left by the blur.


    (Get up! You have to get up!)


    Ellis screamed in Jack¡¯s mind as he tried to pull himself to his feet, feeling his ribs click and snap with each shallow breath and filling his lungs with fire. The college freshman succeeded in sitting upright on his knees, looking around at the confusion in a dazed state, while searching for the invaluable people he left behind. His vision shaky and blurred, he saw his attacker closing in on him, walking calmly while holding his hands up in front of him as he marveling at his own power.


    ¡°Power, Jack. All you need is power. With that, the rest comes naturally, whether it¡¯s given to you, or taken by force.¡±


    The voice was familiar, but Jack couldn¡¯t identify it, instead focusing on regaining his strength sooner rather than later. Jack could feel his body healing, the superficial wounds already gone, but the bones are going to take quite a bit of time before they would be able to fully recover. Jack knew his attacker would most likely not wait for him to heal completely, but the dark-haired god-to-be had to at least stall the man in front of him until he was well enough to make an escape.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Wh-... ha...¡±


    Jack tried to respond, but the air escaped him before he was able to form a full word, and was only able to mutter incoherently in a barely audible voice. He wavered, the effort of attempting to speak causing the world around him to vibrate and spin, while the force of his own gravity pinned him in place. He could do nothing but stare at the figure advancing in his direction as green orbs twisting an churning in the air around the attacker, pulling in and swallowing everything around it, and a leaving nothing behind.


    ¡°I was blessed. I now have the power of a god under my control... and all I had to do was kill you.¡±


    Jack¡¯s vision was starting to clear as his body rapidly repaired itself, and his breaths became more even as his plan began to take shape. Slowly, subtly, Jack released his magic into the air around him, coating his surroundings in the invisible energy as he prepared to escape.


    ¡°Well, you and that wraith guy. I guess I can count those three beautiful girls as the spoils of war, though. It shouldn¡¯t take long for them to forget about you, since they were only attracted to your power.¡±


    Jack froze. His eyes frantically searching his surroundings for the girls, but still unable to find them.


    ¡®What did he do!? Where are they!?¡¯


    Fury whipped around inside him, but his energy gave out, and the anger settled in the pit of his stomach slowed before mutating into dread. If he didn¡¯t do something soon, he was going to lose everything he held dear to him, condemning the only people that had ever shown any genuine concern for his well-being to a hellish fate.


    ¡®This asshole is going to die.¡¯


    (Jack, calm down.)


    ¡®I¡¯m going to kill him.¡¯


    (You have to run, Jack! Don¡¯t do something stupid! He¡¯s stronger than the wraith!)


    Jack ignored Ellis¡¯s plea, his mind focused solely on protecting his friends at all costs. The magic he had released began to move, swirling and spinning around him as it quickly picked up speed in reaction to his emotions. Jack let out a ragged sigh, his head hanging down limply as his strength was depleted from the effort of staying conscious.


    ¡®Ellis, I¡¯m sorry.¡¯


    The air whipped around the boy, pink streaks of light occasionally sparking out from inside the orb forming around him.


    (You don¡¯t have t-)


    ¡®Yes, I do. There is no way I can outrun this guy. You said it yourself, he¡¯s stronger than the wraith.¡¯


    Jack¡¯s body lifted from it¡¯s previous position on the ground, the wind around him now so intense it was reducing his immediate surroundings into rubble, and adding it to the sphere around him. Thin pink threads stretched from his shoulders to the back of his head, tightening as they pulled his limp head up to face his opponent.


    ¡®I can run... or I can fight. Either way, things aren¡¯t going to end well for me, but I can at least put on a show and buy the girl¡® s a few extra seconds to escape. That¡¯s why I¡¯m sorry.¡¯


    The man across from Jack was obscured by the orb, which was now at it¡¯s peak in terms of speed and power, turning a dark brown color with thin pink coursing through it. Jack¡¯s left arm ignited, burning what remained of his shirt away as thin pink bolts fired out in random directions, striking the internal surface of the sphere. A long, pink rope emerged from his right index finger, flames flickering along it¡¯s surface as the whip drifted in the air as if weightless.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry that I won¡¯t be able to fulfill my promise.¡¯


    (Promise?)


    The orb exploded, sending out a deafening shockwave that caught Jack¡¯s new foe off guard, causing him to habitually raise his hands to protect his ears. Instantly, a bolt of pink lightning, and a flaming dark hot pink whip were flying straight at the face of the attacker with deadly precision.


    The man vanished from Jack¡¯s sight, reappearing just in front of the boy with a wicked smile displayed on his face as the attacks harmlessly struck the ground with a resounding boom. To his surprise, the man¡¯s face was very familiar to him, recognizing the face as someone Jack knew from a previous encounter. A wicked smile split the man¡¯s face as he saw Jack¡¯s recognition turn into confusion, genuine glee reflected in his green eyes.


    ¡°Not so tough now, are you, Jack? I bet you¡¯ve never even seen power like mine before in your miserable life.¡±


    Jack¡¯s magic dissipated, and he limply began falling toward the ground, but was caught by the neck, the familiar figure cutting off his airway as the boy dangled several feet above the ground. The sun was high overhead, clear skies and beautiful weather heavily contrasting with the scene unfolding below it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve this power.¡±


    With that, the man twisted his entire body around, squeezing so tight Jack heard something in his neck crack as darkness threatened his vision, and flung the boy off towards the mountains in the distance. Jack could no longer breathe, and his entire body was unresponsive as the ground drew near, his impending fate approaching quickly as he saw his life flash before his eyes. His thoughts turned to Jenny, Ellis, Val, and even Fae as he futilely fought to free himself from the painful restraints of his broken body.


    (Jack.)


    Ellis¡¯s voice was as clear as day, her voice cracking with fear and sadness as Jack fell to what would be his death.


    (I-)


    Something collided with him, interrupting Ellis, and severing Jack¡¯s last thread of consciousness, forcefully pulling him into the darkness that awaited.


    <Jenny and Val>


    Fae had disappeared the moment Jack had, leaving Jenny and Val standing alone, confusion dominating their minds as they searched for the boy.


    The street had exploded earlier, everything around them being torn up and thrown around, as they stood, safely enveloped in a pink light that vaporized the rubble heading in their direction. The girls had been confused for a while, but a series of distant explosions made them assume Jack had been somehow pulled into a fight.


    They began running in pursuit of the sounds, noticing a small dot flying off to their right, crossing the sky at a ridiculous speed. Dismissing negative thoughts of what that dot might be, they continued, moving slightly faster than before with a certain sense of urgency now reflected on their face.


    ¡°What if-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it, just run.¡±


    Val began to speak what they were both thinking, but Jenny abruptly silenced her, not wanting to hear it said out loud. They slowed, the terrain becoming more littered with vehicles, rubble, and dead bodies they had to maneuver around. The silence continued, the fight clearly over now, and all the girls could do was hope Jack was the victor, and this had been nothing but a weak creature that was no match for him. However, from the amount of damage done in the area around them, that was most likely not the case.


    ¡°Ahh... there you are.¡±


    A green mist drifted down in front of them, thousands of tiny particles swirling around as if caught in some sort of odd air current. The mist froze, then flew together, instantly materializing into a man in his early twenties with strange green eyes and a greedy smile. He stood in front of them, rubbing his hands together as dark green particles barely visible to the naked eye detached from him, then disappeared into nothing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡±

 Chapter 20: Shook the Earth part 1

    Jack woke, his breathing heavy as pain coursed through his body, trying desperately to push it¡¯s way through his bones and out of his flesh. He was held upright by a collection of straps made of a leathery material, keeping his body in a very comfortable position as it healed from the trauma it had received not long ago. Jack¡¯s eyes opened, gazing through the haze his mind at several blinking lights and the outlines large, dark structures that rose up around him.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    A familiar woman¡¯s voice cut through the air, smooth and calm as usual, causing Jack to sway his attention in the direction of the sound. A figure detached itself from one of the shadows, stepping into the light, though Jack still couldn¡¯t see her.


    ¡°How long?¡±


    Jack used all of his breath to force the two words out of his throat, catching the woman¡¯s attention with the question. She hesitated, stepping back, and leaning up against the shadow she had previously detached from, considering her answer. A moment passed, only Jack¡¯s ragged breath and the faint whirring of something far off filling the silence, until the woman finally spoke.


    ¡°Two days.¡±


    Silence filled the room, a deafening ringing filled the boy¡¯s ears as adrenaline pumped into him, realizing the weight of his situation and beginning to push against the restraints. There was no more clicking with his movements, but he found himself unable to break free from the straps restraining him with brute strength. The leathery restraints squeaked and the structure holding him down rattled as he pulled and jerked with all his might, still unsuccessful in his attempts to regain his freedom and save his friends.


    Jack¡¯s vision slowly cleared, enabling him to make out his captor. Standing before him was the tall, cat-eared woman that had shown up at his door several days ago, now dressed in a solid black form-fitting uniform with a deep blue line about three inches thick running from her left shoulder to her right hip. Her face reflected a deep and genuine sadness when looking at the boy, knowing enough about him to understand what he was feeling at this moment, and what would happen if she freed him.


    ¡°You¡¯ll die if I release your restraints. I can¡¯t let that happen.¡±


    Jack had started using magic now, a thick line of magic threads wrapped itself around the straps, but still producing no results aside from furthering the boy¡¯s frustration. Gritting his teeth, his left arm ignited, releasing an intense heat that forced the captor to step back and shield her face. Deep pink electricity ran up and down his arm while lashing out at nearby objects, but doing little to no damage to the boy¡¯s surroundings. Jack released the magic, realizing his attempts were futile before slumping down, and letting the restraints hold him in place as he caught his breath.


    ¡°I know... that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t ask.¡±


    Fae stepped back to where she was standing a moment ago, wary of him, but not letting her caution hamper her approach. Jack looked around, forcing his eyelids open while gazing past the woman to the image displayed through a massive clear window behind her.


    ¡®Figures.¡¯


    There, drifting peacefully while contrasting with it¡¯s dark surroundings was Earth, Jack¡¯s home. The massive orb was beautiful, looking similar to a paradise from this distance, one filled with scenic landscapes and undiscovered phenomena. However, this innocent beauty could only exist from this distance, where details are easily overlooked and the dominating natural beauty shields one¡¯s view. Jack was on an alien space ship.


    ¡®Ellis?¡¯


    (Just checked your injuries, and you¡¯re good to go.)


    Ellis answered immediately with the best news Jack had heard in a while, her image materializing in front of him for barely a moment before vanishing so he could focus on the task at hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jack...¡±


    Fae spoke, her voice cracked from the pain of being the one that held him back from protecting the thing he cares about more than anything else. This was her responsibility since this is what her job required of her, but this justification didn¡¯t help Jack¡¯s situation and she knew it. The alien reached out her hand, and placed it gently on Jack¡¯s head, clearing her throat and holding back tears that tried to press through the corners of her eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help you, even though I want to. I¡¯m responsible for keeping you alive.¡±


    She spoke more clearly now, regaining the confidence she was previously lacking while looking at Jack, who stared back with a steady gaze. The dark-haired boy then did something the cat-woman did not expect, and was even caught her off-guard for the first time since she was a child. He smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re a surprisingly good person, you know that?¡±


    Fae was speechless, confusion rattled around in her head as she tried to understand why Jack would smile at a time like this, when hope could only survive with a quantity of naivety that not even he possessed. The woman took a step back, retracting her hand from the boy in surprise as his eyes lit up with a hot pink fire that flicked and waved as it grew more intense, the smile on his face growing right along with it.


    ¡°Sorry about your ship, but I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to wait. I suggest you get somewhere safe.¡±


    His eyes were glowing now, similar to how a monster¡¯s does, but much more intense, changing from hot pink to a blood red. The tattered remains of his clothes disintegrated, something slowly materializing underneath them, coating his body in a dark color that was hard to specify due to the intense light now erupting from his body. Realizing the danger she was in, Fae stepped back, vanishing into the air before reappearing some distance away inside a clear protective orb just big enough for her to stand in.


    The entire ship was vibrating, bolts of bright red lightning exploded out from the left side of the boy¡¯s body while fire enveloped his right, obliterating the straps holding him and blowing away everything nearby. Fae watched in awe at the dramatic increase in power tore apart the inside of her ship, and the owner of that power slowly rise, elevated by a supernatural force under his command as his attention turned toward Earth.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°What... is this guy?¡±


    <Earth>


    ¡°Disobedient little-¡°


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯d pay attention if I was you!¡±


    Charles White interrupted the man grumbling at the girls next to him, catching his attention and redirecting his irritated gaze at himself. The two stood in a large field, just outside of a small town of people that were trembling in fear behind closed doors. The wraith led a sea of monsters, each with varying degrees of power and patience, waiting restlessly for the overconfident man Phthonus had chosen as the hero to defeat the rising demon king.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Turning to the wraith, the hero became even more agitated, dark green flakes detaching from his skin and leaving behind thin black lines that were barely visible to the naked eye. Phthonus¡¯s chosen one lifted his arm, pointing an enraged finger at the demon king and his army as his magic began to form around him, taking the shape of small green orbs.


    ¡°I¡¯ve used up all of my patience. After I kill you and become the savior of this world, I¡¯ll celebrate with these girls whether they like it or not! I¡¯m sick of all you losers looking down on me!¡±


    The arrogant words of the jealous hero ignited a flame of anger in the eyes of Charles White, who had come showing nothing but respect for his opponent up until now. Black smoke leaked from the pours of the wraith¡¯s skin in preparation for battle, while a small gathering of humans cowered quite some distance away, watching the interaction through their cameras. At this distance it did look like a hero facing the villain scene with the intention of protecting humanity from the recent uprising of a seemingly untouchable foe. Little did they know the one hailed as demon king held more interest in their well-being than the supposed ¡°hero¡±.


    ¡°If you¡¯d still your flapping face for a moment, then those more intelligent than yourself would have no ground on which to stand above you!¡±


    The first strike was dealt by the wraith, bypassing the hero¡¯s physical abilities and striking at his weakest point: his intellect. Recognizing the declaration as an insult, the hero flew into a fit of rage, lashing out with his dark green magic in an attempt to completely remove his target from the earth. The magic flew at incredible speed, taking the form of an orb that immediately began pulling in on the world around it, an ever-consuming void with an insatiable appetite.


    Charles White was not slow to react, using his years of battle experience to immediately respond with an attack of his own using the magic he had summoned a moment ago. Black magic whipped through the air, twisting and spinning as it went, looking not unlike a phantom about to feed on the soul of the fooling man that challenged it. The air churned and grew thick with the excess magic as the earth beneath their feet cracked and exploded outward due to the intense energy being released from their bodies.


    Collision. Both magics met in the middle before coming into contact with something stronger than itself and redirecting it¡¯s flow back at the two fighters, causing them to shield their face as the momentum returned to them, weakened. Dust filled the air, temporarily hiding whatever had obstructed their battle behind a dark shroud of dirt. The more experienced of the combatants stepped back in shock, sensing the magic coming from within the cloud, and instantly recognizing it.


    ¡°No... how did he get so strong that fast?¡±


    The wraith¡¯s mind was racing, looking for an escape while afraid to turn his back to the new threat that had appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡°Coward! Fight me! If you won¡¯t fight for yourselves, then do it for the girls¡¯ sake, you don¡¯t want me to take my frustration out on THEM do you!?¡±


    Meanwhile the cocky young hero that knew nothing of the threat casually began yelling assorted insults at the wraith, thinking it was some ploy to weasel his way out of a fight. Rage came from in front of the young man, this time not originating from the wraith, but something much more powerful than either of them.


    (You really cheat at life, you know that? Seriously, it¡¯s like trying to fry beans with lightning.)


    The dust began to settle, and the figure standing amid the wreckage smiled as the anger inside of him felt itself prepare to unleash on a particularly painful thorn in it¡¯s ass.


    ¡®You know, cheating at life is usually referred to as luck here. You do have a point though.¡¯


    Humans are considered lower existences, unable to use magic, and having an incredibly frail body that could die simply from falling over and landing wrong. Jack was now visible to the two, however there was a visible change to both his presence as well as his level of power, one that even a mere human could recognize at first glance. With his previous magical enhancement, he had done what no other lower existence had ever done without becoming the pawn of a higher existence. He was now an independent middle existence, wearing a black T-shirt and jeans made up of magic rather than physical material which is an ability only the more powerful middle existences have.


    ¡°You!? I thought I killed you! Damn bastard, I never thought YOU¡¯D be the one annoying ME.¡±


    Jack stared at the hero, the familiar face now twisted with corruption from the power that it had only tasted, creating delusions of grandeur in his mind to satisfy his lust for being at the top. Jack barely recognized the young man he had saved only a few days ago from the hands of a bloodthirsty ghoul that had set it¡¯s sights on him due to his now perverse personality.


    ¡°I know you recognize me, Jack! I bet you still remember me as John, that pathetic guy half-dead on the street you so graciously decided to save! Well... look at me now.¡±


    John raised his hands up to the sides as if to display his might so Jack would cower in fear, and know it was useless to challenge him to a fight. However, Jack didn¡¯t respond, simply staring at the man with a bored expression while Ellis secretly filled him in on the details of what John had become.


    (John was blessed by a deity, probably Phthonus from the looks of it, accepting the power and becoming, what is referred to as, a hero. What most likely happened was Phthonus found a seed of jealousy in this man¡¯s heart, and exploited it to create something that would kill you. It¡¯s a long story, but pretty much Phthonus was once the god of jealousy, but his disturbing methods were rejected, so he was critically wounded and demoted to a deity that can¡¯t directly attack people. He hates my magic specifically because my mother was the one that critically wounded him, so he likely found you, recognized the magic, and now wants to kill you via this guy.)


    ¡®Simple enough.¡¯


    Ellis finished, and Jack returned his attention to the still ranting hero in front of him who was only succeeding in riling himself up with every insult he hurled at his uninterested enemy. Jack started to feel bad for John, since he would probably just be a normal guy if it wasn¡¯t for him... however, his opinion quickly changed.


    ¡°I am now standing where you once stood, with the same girls behind me that stood behind you! I can do what I want, with the girls and the rest of the world! There¡¯s nothing you can do to stop me!¡±


    John crossed the line, and Jack¡¯s already thin strand of patience vanished completely at the taunting words that threatened Jenny and Val. Jack had taken a beating from these two during their previous encounters, but that didn¡¯t matter to the boy who¡¯s eyes were already showing a tinge of red. What mattered to him was the two girls frozen in shock behind the jealous hero, their eyes red from where they had been crying earlier, making Jack wonder what that man had done to hurt them.


    Jack¡¯s left arm didn¡¯t glow entirely, it simply turned a scarlet red while veins of bright red energy became visible, the currents flowing further into his arm than it used to, all the way up to the middle of his bicep. His right hand opened as a long scarlet rope that burned brightly started to emerge from his palm, extending outward for about fifteen feet before stopping, allowing his fingers to wrap around it comfortably.


    ¡°Who do you think you are?¡±


    Seeing Jack¡¯s movements, and starting to sense the danger he was in, John stepped back and began to become flustered. Jack locked eyes with his target, not trying to hide his intent in the slightest as he took a step forward, initiating the first part of his attack.


    ¡°Name¡¯s Jack.¡±

 Chapter 21: Shook The Earth part 2

    A young, dark-haired boy sat alone at a small white table in the middle of a cafeteria filled with other kids of varying ages. The white noise of conversations, lunches slamming against tables, and metal chair legs sliding across the thick wooden floor roared as usual. Many times in the past year, some of the children tried to befriend the boy, but to no avail, only receiving dry, dismissive responses. After a while, no one attempted to approach the boy aside from Jenny, and he, in tern, ignored their exclusive actions, withdrawing into himself despite his teachers¡¯ constant positive interventions.


    Dark eyes scanned the pages of a moderately sized book, Jack¡¯s mind so completely lost in the story that he didn¡¯t notice a brown-haired, blue-eyed girl approach his table. A few moments passed as the girl stared at the boy¡¯s short dark hair, waiting for a reaction that would never come on it¡¯s own.


    ¡°I eat alone because the other kids are afraid I might eat them instead of my lunch. Why do you eat alone?¡±


    The girl spoke above the roar of the cafeteria, but the boy still gave absolutely no response, pretending as if he hadn¡¯t heard her and continued to read his book. Jenny waited for a few seconds, then pulled a little blue chair out, and sat across from the boy, her interest piqued by this unresponsive person that might make for a fun new toy.


    ¡°What are you reading?¡±


    The girl continued to pry as a bright and seemingly innocent smile broadly projected off her face, looking nice from a distance, but Jack was close enough to notice what instigated her joy. He didn¡¯t respond, and the roar of the cafeteria continued on, unaffected by the interaction between the two outcasts.


    Jenny¡¯s smile changed from innocent joy to sadistic pleasure for a split second, but quickly reverted back before anyone besides Jack saw, and continued her inquisition.


    ¡°I like you, Jack, you¡¯re like an unbreakable lock, and I have a large ring of keys. Let¡¯s play again at recess, and maybe this time I¡¯ll find a way to break you.¡±


    Chills ran down the boy¡¯s spine at the girl¡¯s words, her intent poorly hidden behind a childish facade she kept up either to fool the adults, or simply because it was part of her game. He gave no visible response, simply continuing to read his book while thinking about what ¡°like¡± and ¡°play¡± meant to someone like her, and how he might avoid this future encounter. The girl sat across from him, folding her arms on the table before resting her chin on them, staring intently at the boy who¡¯s expression never changed no matter what she did to him.


    Jenny had, over the past year, tried to get a reaction out of Jack by using various methods of what normal people would consider psychological torture, but to no avail. Every recess she would find some way to get the boy alone and try to scare him, or somehow convince a group of slightly older kids that Jack called them some horrible name, resulting in his ass getting kicked later on, or some other cruel tactic. However, he barely seemed to notice and simply took whatever he was dealt with a blank face, never once letting out the cry of fear or pain the little girl craved.


    The most recent method was a bit different from the others, though. Instead of direct attacks on him using hostile means, she began striking out at him in a different way, prying into his life, and making sure he was well aware of it.


    <recess>


    Recess; the time of day almost all children look forward to, waiting anxiously for the second hand to strike the twelve and the long awaited bell to ring throughout the halls, signaling their temporary freedom. This day was no different for most of the children, and sadly, the same goes for Jack, the sound signaling the impending doom that awaited him just as it did every other day.


    ¡°...you then take the decimal and move it three places to the le-¡°


    *Rrrriiiiiinnnnnngggggg*


    ¡°Yay! It¡¯s rece-¡°...¡°Did you see th-¡°...¡°D-don¡¯t forget to-¡°...¡°-and then I-¡°


    Dozens of conversations lost in the sea of of words that immediately ensued, one of them being the pretty blond teacher with a hopelessly small voice. Jack closed his math book, sliding it off his desk and into a small black backpack to his left, pulling himself to his feet as he glanced around for the girl that would meet him.


    ¡®Hm. She¡¯s gone already. That doesn¡¯t bode well...¡¯


    The room was slowly emptying, and the girl was nowhere to be found, which happened occasionally when she came up with a ¡°special plan of attack¡±. Jack stood, figuring she would show up later when the timing was perfect to complete, what she called, a ¡°flawless execution¡± which he couldn¡¯t help but think had some sort of double meaning.


    Jack sighed inwardly, trailing behind the other students as they crammed themselves out the door, and into the rapidly filling hallway. The boy drifted to the wall after leaving the room, making sure he didn¡¯t collide with anyone as he followed the flow of bodies to the glass double-doors being held open by a couple of teachers. As usual, Jack stepped out into the open world without a single person giving him a second glance or a passing word, but not really caring anyway since he would much rather be left alone.


    Now free, the children scattered, spreading out across the playground and into an open field that connected to a road a few hundred feet away. Jack noticed a white van parked across the street at the old gas station, which was a bit odd since the station had been closed for quite some time now.


    ¡®Well... better find Jenny before she find me...¡¯


    Jack stepped out, looking around for the brown-haired girl that should be nearby either with some sort of contraption or mob, but didn¡¯t spot her. The school had an art building off to the left, though it was really just a broken-down trailer with tables and art supplies. Jenny had always seemed to end up coming out from behind it with whatever trouble she had planned following closely behind her while flashing that brilliant smile he dreaded so much.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He approached the ¡°art building¡± stuffing his hands deep into his jean pockets, and feeling the weight of the black backpack swaying with each step. Moving up to the corner, the boy took his right hand out of it¡¯s resting place, holding it up in front of him just in case something dangerous was waiting behind the white metal sheet acting as a wall for this sad structure.


    The boy¡¯s foot moved past it, and he pulled himself around to the backside of the trailer, expecting some sort of attack, but found... nothing. Nothing happened. Jenny was nowhere to be seen, and that made the boy very uncomfortable, especially after the conversation they had at lunch.


    ¡°Hel-¡°


    ¡°Shit! Keep h... her quiet, go-*cough*-dammit!¡±


    A shout, then a clattering noise came from inside the trailer followed by the broken, but hushed voice of a man frantically cursing at someone else to ¡°keep her quiet¡±. Jack froze, not out of fear, but genuine shock. He recognized the voice of the person inside all too well, it was his teacher, the pretty blonde with glasses, but that wasn¡¯t all. The thing that shocked him most was the man¡¯s voice, one belonging to someone Jack knew, one that he had heard many times in the past couple of years.


    ¡°I am, but the bitch bit my hand!¡±


    Jack ripped the pack off of his back, and threw it to the ground before taking off at top speed back in the direction of the school, his eyes searching for an adult that could help. His heart beat wildly in his head, his usual apathetic feelings gone now as they were replaced by a mixture of fear, desperation and hate for that damned man. Jack only made it a few steps before stopping. The sound of fabric tearing, and a table falling over came from inside as his teacher violently resisted her captors, but obviously failing to free herself.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just do this now, we don¡¯t need to take them somewhere else, do we?¡±


    ¡°Gah! *Wheeze* Fine, let¡¯s ju... just do this here. They¡¯ll be a l-...lot easier to move after their energy¡¯s-s gone anyway.¡±


    The playground was too noisy to shout for help, and the nearest teacher was conversing with someone in a car on the far side of the field. Thanks to Jenny, all the kids hate him, so no help would come from them, and his time was incredibly limited since the man inside was about to begin.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    Jack turned around, and dashed straight at the front door of the building, still trying to figure out what he could possibly do to improve this situation. A twelve-year-old boy has little to no chance against a grown man in a fight, not to mention there were at least two of them in there along with his teacher. Jack approached the door, jumping up to the small wooden platform in front of it before gripping the small, bronze handle.


    <>


    ¡®There is almost nothing he can do to help, and the chances of him getting hurt are pretty high, so why is he still going in?¡¯


    Two big sapphire eyes peaked out from behind a slide decently far away from the art building, watching the dark-haired boy slam into the door, flinging it inward. He entered without hesitation and disappeared from the sight into the dark room filled with horrors the eyes¡¯ owner was currently hiding from.


    ¡®But there¡¯s something even more interesting than that...¡¯


    The eyes watched in wonder, unable to move away from the small white trailer even though nothing was happening. The gaze simply intensified as if trying to somehow puncture the white wall and reveal what was unfolding inside.


    ¡®I¡¯ve found the key!¡¯


    <>


    ¡°Damn brat! Get out!¡±


    A tall man with long black hair and hazy blue eyes pointed the knife in his right hand at the terrified boy that just entered the room, completely losing his previously muted tone and shouting angrily. Laying in front of him on a small table, held down by another man was the blond teacher that had shown Jack nothing but kindness in the past, which the boy appreciated despite it¡¯s ineffectiveness.


    Jack¡¯s legs trembled at the familiar sight of the man in front of him, who was intoxicated from some drug he had likely bought from the man holding down the struggling teacher. He had no idea what to do, but he couldn¡¯t leave the woman to her fate... he was stuck.


    ¡°I said... to get... the fuck... out, Jack! Blood relation will... *cough!* only get... t-ya so far!¡±


    ¡°Keep your voice down!¡±


    The man hissed at Jack¡¯s relative while pressing down hard on the teacher¡¯s mouth as her cries for help resumed the moment she noticed the boy. She kicked and clawed at the man pinning her down, scratching and tearing at his flesh in an attempt to escape his grasp, forcing the boy¡¯s relative to turn his attention in her direction. The intoxicated man stabbed his knife into the wooden table next to her before reaching out to restrain her legs.


    Jack snapped out of his daze, and reached for a small cluster of supplies on the desk next to him, his fingers wrapping around a glass cup filled with paintbrushes. Quickly turning back to the trio, the boy hurled the glass as hard as he could at the face of the man holding his teacher¡¯s mouth, sending it flying across the small room.


    A loud crash sounded as the glass shattered, apparently more frail than Jack had thought, and exploded into the man¡¯s eyes, freeing the teacher from his grasp. Instantly, the woman kicked out, now able to see her attackers better, and landed a direct blow to Jack¡¯s relative¡¯s groin, and instantly disabling him before rolling off the table. She took her chance, and grabbed the boy¡¯s arm on her way out, pulling him behind her as the two made their escape back towards the school.


    <Now>


    (Hu hu hu... fighting to save beautiful damsels in distress even before you got these powers. You really are something, you know that?)


    Ellis emerged from Jack¡¯s memories with a comment on what she had seen, catching the aspiring god a bit off-guard considering his situation.


    ¡®I have something to do, so please refrain from teasing for at least a little while.¡¯


    (Okay, Prince Charming.)


    Jack ignored the goddess, returning his attention to the situation at hand as the cocky hero began surrounding himself with large green orbs of magic. Behind John, standing a safe distance away, were Val and Jenny, both watching with tears flowing from their eyes, and relieved smiles displayed on their faces. Jack smiled inwardly at their reaction, deeply thankful to have people that genuinely care about him that much.


    ¡°You cocky bastard! I¡¯ll beat you senseless then make you watch as I forcefully take your precious girls¡¯ virginity!¡±


    The hero shouted angrily, his skin cracking and peeling before slowly disintegrating into small green specks of dust that disappeared into the wind. The man¡¯s eyes became solid green as the magic orbs around him grew in both size and power, tearing up the earth beneath it and creating massive gusts of wind that pulled everything nearby into it¡¯s all-consuming maw. Greed and envy now pervaded his body just as it did his soul, eating away at his life more and more each time he indulged in it¡¯s benefits.


    Jack took a second step forward, noticing the wraith behind him shift and summon magic of his own in preparation, most likely planning to strike at the dark-haired boy when he wasn¡¯t prepared. Jack¡¯s foot lifted, leaving the burnt imprint of his foot in the ground along with a few flames that flicked and danced on the dirt for a few seconds before disappearing. The tension grew as three different kinds of magic rose against each other, and the three who wield them slowly drew closer.


    Green, pink, and black energies lashed out at each other, each with a praiseworthy amount of power, but there can be only one victor in this fight.


    Thus began the battle between the hero, the wraith, and the demigod.

 Chapter 22: Shook The Earth part 3

    <>


    Large green orbs made of a malicious magic rocketed forward with explosive speed, pulling in the everything nearby, from the ground to the very air around it as it closed in on it¡¯s target. The one wielding the dreaded magic watched with a face contorted with the greed, envy and lust that had poisoned both his body and soul, completely consuming his existence.


    The target of the abhorred magic watched with a dark expression, a red whip lazily drifting next to him as if floating underwater while the lines of light cutting across his scarlet left arm pulsed in anticipation. The ground around him caught fire from the intense heat radiating off his body, but the clothes covering him remain untouched despite the magic¡¯s power.


    Behind the dark-haired boy stood the rising demon king and his sea of powerful monsters that obey his every command out of respect for his strength. Erupting out from this wraith was a thick black cloud of dark magic, it¡¯s movements quick and precise, the owner obviously well-trained and very experienced in combat.


    Watching from a distance were two girls, the taller one¡¯s previously dull sapphire eyes reignited upon seeing her closest friend back from the grave, while the shorter one . The situation was still new, and everything was happening too fast for them to completely grasp, but the immense joy and hope both they had in common greatly overwhelmed their confusion.


    Above the earth in a small ship with a hole busted through the window sat the feline alien, intently observing the event from a distance via a small holographic screen projected from the little black box in her hand. Her thoughts solely focused on the dark-eyed boy that had taken a dive through the large glass wall mere moments ago, leaving behind what remained of the charred command deck. The emergency systems had kicked in, and a transparent blue wall appeared to shield it¡¯s passenger from the vacuum of space that lay just outside.


    Below her, unaware of her presence were the primary inhabitants of this planet, the humans. Billions of these lower existences watched through various screens as reporters relayed what was happening to the masses, trying to understand the terrifying situation. The world was waiting for the next move of the three strongest beings currently on it, fear gripping the hearts of all as devastating chaos began to peek out from around the corner.


    <>


    Jack swung his right hand around, the red whip made of magic moving horizontally through the air to meet his foe¡¯s head-on attack, while pulling his left shoulder back, and extending the palm of his artificial hand in the direction of the wraith. Magic exploded from both sides as the dark-haired boy¡¯s whip cut the green orbs in half, and his left hand summoned a bright red wall of magic large enough to completely defend himself from the black smoke, emitting a near-deafening clap.


    Without waiting for his opponents¡¯ next move, Jack released the energy inside him into the surrounding air, then ejected magic from his left foot, vanishing from the humans¡¯ before reappearing with his left fist buried in the hero¡¯s gut. The earth beneath them blew up and out due to the instantaneous exchanges, turning into a shower of grass, dirt, and rocks that rained down on the girls as well as some of the closer humans.


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    Jack remembered there were more people around than just the three of them, but the hero had already been reduced to a streak of green light flying directly at the nearby town. The boy sensed something move behind him, quickly turning his other opponent who had recovered from his failed attack, and was approaching at top speed wielding a smoke-clad black broadsword. Thinking fast, the boy decided to improvise, his right foot kicking off the ground before twisting to reposition his body in mid-air so the soles of each foot faced the wraith.


    Magic released from the base of Jack¡¯s foot with a boom, sending the boy and the demon king shooting off in opposite directions. Now flying over the humans, the dark-eyed demigod manipulated the magic around him to reduce the destructive wind his momentum created while bringing his right hand¡¯s weapon to bear once again. His eyes locked on the figure in front of him, watching the green dust fly off while mentally calculating their speeds, and distances from the nearby buildings. He can¡¯t reach the hero with his whip before colliding with a building and causing significant damage to the people hiding in the town.


    ¡®Damn it... I need a longer weapon!¡¯


    In response to his thoughts, the whip extended it¡¯s reach by almost two times while the section that was touching his hand began to glow threateningly. Jack was a bit surprised by the development, but had no time to dwell on it at the moment, since the situation had just changed in his favor and he would have to react quickly to keep it that way.


    John was injured, but still conscious, and had immediately begun summoning magic in an attempt to gain an advantage in this fight at the cost of the citizens below him. However, Jack was already on him before he could react, the deadly rope of magic flying forward before tightly wrapping itself around his ankle. The dark red whip did not cut into the greedy man¡¯s flesh like it would have in the past, but instead acted as like a normal whip would and simply held on to his ankle.


    Now that the boy had the man, he made the magic below him explode upward into his chest, and fling him diagonally up and to the right, away from where the bystanders stood unaware of the lightning-fast exchange. The line between the two now taut, the boy¡¯s arm jerked hard on the rope, stopping the hero¡¯s momentum with a series of loud pops and a blood-curdling shriek of pain before pulling him away from the town.


    The dark red crescent gripped in Jack¡¯s hand revolved around the him, vanishing after making only half of a revolution, and sending the man in it¡¯s grip flipping uncontrollably away from all the potential casualties below. Wind rushed through the buildings as the boy pursued the hero yet again, forcing all the people below to brace themselves against various structures in an attempt to stay upright as the pair vanished from sight.


    The wraith had recovered quickly after being thrown back into the horde of monsters, catching a glimpse of Jack and the jealous hero streaking across the sky to the right. Mr. White mumbled a few curses under his breath as he wiped a dark black liquid from under his nose before pushing himself out of the crater his body had made, and taking off after them. The magic in his body focused on his right hand, the black smoke churning as it began to materialize into the familiar blade, and his mind grew sharper in preparation of the fight.


    <Just outside of Earth>


    All except one lost track of the fighters, unable to keep up with their movements as they left the scene, and only with the assistance of superior technology was Fae able to keep track of them. The tall, dark-haired feline watched intently from the safety of her ship, using her it¡¯s cameras to see, and transport equipment to catch the vibrations, giving her the ability to hear them despite the vacuum around her. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Fae¡¯s tail was still, watching the man she had just spent the past two days trying to save from seemingly mortal wounds move like some sort of demon hunting it¡¯s prey, and found herself gripping the small box anxiously.


    Fae had tended to the unconscious boy for only a couple of days, thinking the entire time about Jenny and Val who had been left behind in her dash to save him, and would have been condemned to a fate worse than death if Jack was normal. She thought about how much that boy would hate her for saving him and not his friends, because it¡¯s her job to keep him safe from harm until she could glean information. She didn¡¯t want to leave them, but by the time she caught Jack out of the air, saving him from a painful death, the man with the green magic had already found them, and going back was far too dangerous.


    The woman had braced herself for his reaction when she told him, but was still unable to hold back her tears when she saw his face darken and his forehead sweat. She knew he had every right to hate her, and had even prepared restraints to hold him in place she he wouldn¡¯t try to attack her and escape. She knew when he failed to save his friends, she would have to see those dark eyes that were always so filled with light when looking at the people in his life change to a look of anger and pain, the same look he gave the man back on earth. However...


    ¡®You¡¯re a surprisingly good person, you know that?¡¯


    Words, the girl thought, that were undeserved, but when she looked into his eyes, she only saw a familiar light, one that had only appeared when looking at Jenny and Val, or when his gaze had trailed off to something unseen by her. The light made the girl feel a warmth she thought had long left her reach, and ignited something that was still burning vigorously inside her chest, almost as if becoming a new source of energy to strengthen her.


    Jack, of course, was completely unaware of the impact he had made on her, focusing solely on the man he was going to kill from the moment he had awoken, and was currently in the middle of literally whipping his ass on the little screen she held in the palm of her hand. She watched the lights flash in front of her eyes, her knees pulled up so her soles rested on the large black chair where she sat, slouched over the small black box, a single thought running through her mind.


    ¡®Husband...¡¯


    <The surface>


    A green orb suddenly warped the air behind the hero, pulling hard to reduce his momentum enough for him to land hard on his good leg, the ground around him rumbling with the heavy impact. The earth beneath his feet had absorbed the momentum, exploding outward, and filling the air around him with a small brown cloud, hiding his surroundings.


    The man stood in place for several moments, his wheezing breaths, limp leg, and clicking chest severely hindering his movements, forcing him to bend over in pain. The dirt shroud fell to the ground, revealing to the hero exactly what he was expecting to see; Jack approaching with his dark red arm readily hanging at his left side, and a fist enveloped in red flame to his right. Upon seeing his enemy¡¯s calm face, the man once known as John became deeply enraged, dark green particles flowing from his damaged body as the eerie light completely swallowed his eyes.


    ¡°Damn you, cocky bastard! Who do you think you are, god!? You don¡¯t deserve any of this power, so why do you have it!? Those damned girls aren¡¯t yours either, so why are you protecting them!? They¡¯re so weak, and they won¡¯t put out no matter how much you talk to them! So damn useless!¡±


    The hero¡¯s voice was distorted with the mixture of anger, injury, and the magic¡¯s negative effects, no longer sounding human in any way as the venomous words erupted once again. The pieces drifting off him began to create a small cloud that shifted with each of his unsteady movements as he began to shuffle his feet forward.


    (Now¡¯s your chance, say something cool!)


    Jack stopped walking forward, staring into the sad remains of what should have been a hero, and feeling the newer, more efficient flow of magic coursing through him. Ellis¡¯s voice was stronger now as she insisted on Jack creating a badass moment with some action-movie catchphrase to feed into her childish sense of ¡°cool¡±.


    ¡®Why?¡±


    (Because he totally set you up for a superhero moment!)


    The hero stumbled forward, looking not unlike a zombie with his twisted smile, fixed green eyes, and limp leg dragging behind him with a nauseating clicking and scraping noise. Jack honestly wondered how this man was still alive, but figured it had something to do with the excessive amount of magic that was eating away at his flesh, or he had actually become some sort of magical zombie.


    ¡°Why, Jack? With your power...*Wheeze*... you could get any-*cough*-one... you could have anything... you want...¡±


    The hero was beginning to lose his voice, but was still able to convey it¡¯s confusion with Jack¡¯s odd attachment to these seemingly useless girls. Jack did not have to think about his response, since he had already figured out the answer to that question the moment he came down to fight and saw the girls were okay. He was scared and angry when on his way down, but once he saw them alive and visibly unharmed, he knew exactly why he fought for them.


    Jack could sense the magic inside the man in front of him being shifted, growing outward as he summoned it to use for the last time against his greatest foe, but did not react.


    ¡°I fight for them because I care about them more than anything else in this, or any world. Doing things for them gives me a purpose and a goal, rather than just focusing on myself.¡±


    The dark brown irises of the boy were pierced by several streaks of scarlet light as the magic inside him responded to his summon, rising up and flowing to where he needed it.


    ¡®How was that?¡¯


    (Boring... you didn¡¯t say anything new, and you spoke like some kind of lame informant.)


    ¡®Well, I wasn¡¯t planning on just saying it out loud right now...¡¯


    An orb about the size of a basketball appeared over the man across from Jack, sucking in all the loose dirt on the ground around them as it slowly began to grow larger.


    (Oh? Say what?)


    ¡®You know what.¡¯


    The grass peeled up, flying into the now four foot spherical vortex of magic before vanishing into it¡¯s maw, never to be seen again. The being that was once called human had lost it¡¯s jaw to the disintegrative side-effect of it¡¯s immense power, but still stared at Jack with the same burning hatred as before.


    (Yeah, but I want you to say it.)


    ¡®Fine, I-¡®


    (Out loud, moron. So he can hear you clearly.)


    The air whipped around them, violently roaring as the world around them disappeared behind a massive wall of earth rotating counter-clockwise, the dark green orb now growing bigger than Jack. The occasional rock struck Jack¡¯s left side, but only shattered or harmlessly bounced off as the boy watched the orb grow, curious about how large it was going to get.


    ¡®I¡¯d rather not.¡¯


    (Do it or I¡¯ll sing that song you really hate over and over until I get bored.)


    The orb reached it¡¯s peak in size, which was about ten feet in diameter, and the man supplying the power to it had nearly disappeared completely into dust. Jack¡¯s right arm erupted in flame while his left pulsed with veins of magical power as the boy took a step forward, sending some of the magic to his feet.


    ¡®Ah... fine. It¡¯s not like anyone¡¯s going to hear it anyway.¡¯


    (Hu hu hu.)


    Jack raised both of his hands up, straightening his arms and bracing his body as he concentrated all the magic on the open palms of his hands, watching the fire and magic veins moved down his arm to where he directed it. The air around him instantly became stagnate as he ejected, then manipulated the magic around him to cancel out the violent wind and let him concentrate,and making the wall of earth fall into nothing more than piles of dirt.


    ¡°I do it because I love them.¡±


    (Yippie-ki-yay motherfu-)


    Pure bright red magic exploded from both of his hands, his feet blowing away the dirt as it ejected the energy to steady him in a terrifying display of power that is unmatched by any other on earth. The red wave of flame and light blew the orb and what remained of it¡¯s owner away in an instant, it¡¯s destructive power continuing on for quite a distance before exploding.


    The shock continued out, rattling the ground violently as it flowed through the world below them, the force of it completely blowing away the area around it.


    The fight between the hero and the demigod ended with the blow that shook the earth.

 Chapter 23: Step One

    The years passed, before the incident involving the sympathetic educator and the dark-eyed boy¡¯s relative faded into a memory, but was, unfortunately, not forgotten.


    The police searched for Jack¡¯s father, only to find his corpse a couple of days later in a dumpster only couple of miles away from the school, where his friend had likely hidden him after a serious heroin overdose. Several of the detectives came to talk with the boy about what had happened, writing down the horrific events on a small notepad as he blandly relayed the story. After he finished, several of them considered the possibility of the overdose being a way to cover up a murder, but stopped when one of them reminded the others that Jack was still in the room. The asshole with his father that night was never caught, but the boy didn¡¯t really care either way, he was fine with never seeing that man again.


    Jack felt the guilt of his relative¡¯s actions and the loss off his last parent weigh down on him, causing him to withdraw even further into his own mind than before in an attempt to disappear completely from everyone around him. The kind teacher spent a copious amount of time trying to ease the boy¡¯s conscience, but to no avail, since he had already convinced himself that people were better off without him.


    As most humans tend to do, the people around him decided the boy wasn¡¯t worth their time if he didn¡¯t give anything back, and by the time high school came, even his beloved teacher was unable to follow him. Jack¡¯s uncle resented the boy for being the troublesome consequence of his brother¡¯s stupidity, which the law had stated was now his problem, whether he liked it or not. The other kids his age ignored him for the most part, though some of the more outgoing ones would try a few times to include him, but would ultimately give up in the end.


    Of course, as does everything, there was an exception. One small girl with short, brow hair and deep, sapphire eyes had taken a very strong interest in him despite his apathetic nature, and had practically made it her life¡¯s goal to be the cause of a visible change in this boy¡¯s emotional state. After a full year of constant failure, she had finally found his biggest weakness, and had spent the next five putting her master scheme into action, a three step plan that was completely foolproof, while fulfilling her flare for the theatrical.


    Now, after five years of work, Jenny neared the completion of the first, and hardest step... befriend.


    <>


    ¡°Hey, Jack!¡±


    A voice sounded from behind the dark-eyed boy, followed by a series of excited footsteps colliding with the paved sidewalk beneath them. He looked up from the smartphone in his hand, subconsciously turning the screen off, and tucking the small object away as his thoughts turned from the book previously displayed on it, and toward the familiar person rapidly approaching from his rear. The boy sidestepped the small girl¡¯s enthusiastic flying embrace, letting her awkwardly stumble off ahead of him before instantly whipping around in frustration to face him.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you dodge?¡±


    Jenny stared with a dejected, but still pouty look on her face, small hands resting scoldingly on her slender hips as she questioned the blank-faced boy. Jack looked back at her with his usual disinterested gaze while letting the evident displeasure radiating off the girl harmlessly fall to the ground, struck down by his apathy.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dodge such an obvious attack?¡±


    Jack¡¯s monotone voice fit him perfectly as he rebuked her seemingly friendly approach, causing her to take a dramatically offended stance and expression in response. The boy ignored Jenny¡¯s actions, stepping past her while pulling his phone back out from it¡¯s former place in his pocket, and calmly resuming his book.


    The sun shone brightly overhead, unhindered by even the slightest streak of cloud as the distant blazing inferno illuminated the world around the two with an unconquerable brilliance.


    ¡®Not unlike Jenny¡¯s facade. No... it¡¯s more like a charade she created for the soul purpose of entertaining herself. I¡¯m pretty sure I overheard some of the other guys talking about how high school girl¡¯s are all psychopaths, so I guess this behavior is normal. Whatever, it¡¯s not like either of us cares about what¡¯s considered abnormal, and I prefer being alone anyway, so it all works out. I have no friends, being the object of Jenny¡¯s attention makes people feel better about ignoring me, and Jenny has someone she can be herself around. Well, since I¡¯m not dead yet, I suppose she could even be counted as a friend, or... something. I really need to figure out what a friend is before I jump to conclusions, but, despite her teasing, she hasn¡¯t really done anything particularly threatening lately. She seems to prefer conversation and physical contact in a non-violent, non-sexual... friendly kind of way. Maybe I¡¯m looking to far into it.¡¯


    Jack thought to himself, casually glancing back at Jenny, who had already forgotten to act offended, and started skipping joyfully along behind him. Yet another brilliant smile had already started forming on her face, hiding her twisted sense of humor as she clutched a small bundle of books tightly to her chest, her head bobbing back and forth with each footfall.


    ¡°Attack? What are you talking about, silly? I would have been gentle since it¡¯s your first time!¡±


    Jack ignored her, silently wondering how she could announce something like that so loudly in a public area, and becoming curious as to whether or not she would ever develop some kind of filter for these things as the two continued on to their destination.


    Kids, about Jack¡¯s age and older, began to appear out of houses and buildings around them, walking a ¡°safe¡± distance away from the pair as they began to group up with their friends, and growing larger as they neared the one thing all of them had in common... Oak Ridge High School.


    Jack and Jenny shared all of their classes, sat next to each other in class, typically in the back, and ate separate from everyone else their age. This had been the norm for about three weeks since their freshman year began, but as of late, some of the guys had started to take notice of the pretty newcomer and her introverted companion, whispering amongst each other as they not-so-subtly started checking Jenny out. Of course, the girl herself was too engrossed in developing new ways to tease the dark-haired boy to notice anything out of the ordinary, but despite Jack¡¯s introverted nature, these looks were not lost on him.


    ¡°Bernard Kawolinski! That¡¯s it, there is nothing else it could possibly be!¡±


    Jenny loudly shouted something after about five straight minutes of intensely studying the newspaper¡¯s crossword puzzle, standing up as she did to add dramatic effect, though the awkward silence that came after kind of ruined it. Jack looked at her in confusion for a moment as she began scribbling down her answer with a pencil she had stolen from him a few moments ago, a victorious grin openly displayed on her face.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Bernard Kawol...? whatever...¡±


    Jack began to question her, but caught himself mid-sentence as he suddenly saw the trap she had set for him, but the look of victory had already warped to one of mischievous pleasure as a light giggle escaped her lips. She leaned forward, placing both hands on the table in beneath her in a threatening manner, making sure to stare deep into his eyes to make this interaction as uncomfortable as possible. Jack matched her gaze, never moving his eyes from hers partially because he¡¯s found it to be the most effective way to entertain her, and therefore get her to stop sooner, and partially because she is not self-aware enough to notice that her position and low-cut shirt are revealing much more than she likely means to.


    ¡°Hm? What was that? You took an interest in something involving me? He he he, I¡¯m so flattered.¡±


    ¡°No you¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t chase after me, though... we were destined to be no more than friends.¡±


    Ignoring Jack¡¯s comment, Jenny switched her character from a shy little girl to a soap opera star instantaneously, flawlessly exercising her fantastic talent for acting that had fooled him so many times. The boy had grown used to the different persona¡¯s she took on when teasing him, and even secretly favored the cute little girl personality above the rest, since she was always the one that seemed to like him while the others were often quite cruel. Jack sighed, submitting to the girl as he returned to the off-white tray holding the distasteful cafeteria food he was expected to eat while she continued to switch back and forth between fabricated personalities. The boy half-listened as the girl¡¯s conversation with herself slowly morphed into an argument between the soap opera character and the shy girl over who would make a better life partner for him, before trailing off to an in-depth backstory about her beloved father leaving her behind with an abusive mother that hated her... etc.


    Though the blue-eyed girl was only teasing him, it would make sense for them to end up together, seeing as how almost no one else can deal with them for more than five minutes without either being scared off, or bored. Their personalities complimented each other, they had known each other for quite some time, and Jack didn¡¯t really mind Jenny¡¯s company anymore, in fact, he kind of liked having her around in spite of himself. It was definitely something he had passively considered in the more recent past, but always dismissed it as a ridiculous idea which was most likely a result of her constant teasing about his romantic life.


    Jenny continued to prattle on in the background as Jack pulled himself out of his own thoughts, making up his mind to move forward with this idea. After all, what¡¯s the worst thing that could happen?


    The boy sat up straight in his chair, summoning the shocking amount of courage required to ask the girl in front of him the question that stood above of all others in this steaming vat of hormones and assholes known as high school before turning his eyes to look directly at his target.


    ¡°Jenny.¡±


    For the first time since they had met, Jack initiated a conversation with her, catching the cute, blue-eyed girl¡¯s attention immediately, and causing her to pause as their eyes locked. The following roar of conversation produced by the masses of children around them fed the tension for a few moments as Jack thought about what he was going to say, not knowing whether or not he was just supposed to ask, or somehow lead up to it first. He eventually gave up, quietly sighing to himself in resignation.


    ¡°Go out with me.¡±


    Jack realized after he had spoken that he had forgotten to make it a question, and probably came off as a jerk trying to order Jenny around, which, he had found, is something the stubborn girl absolutely hated. However, the boy¡¯s prediction was far from accurate, and his question had actually caught the brown-haired girl completely off-guard, leaving her completely speechless for the first time since he met her.


    Jenny snapped out of her stupor in mere moments, her signature dazzling smile instantaneously returning to her slender face as she pushed on the table below her, propelling her figure into a standing position where she was able to look down at him. The sadistic girl¡¯s breaths seemed a little quicker now, but other than that, the usual bright persona she wore had formed perfectly in less than a second, and spoke the exact words Jack had expected.


    ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯re just friends.¡±


    Jack felt something sink into his gut as the words left her mouth, causing him to feel a little sick, though it wasn¡¯t caused by the words themselves, but the shy voice she used when speaking them. The dark-eyed freshman slumped back in his chair, his face giving nothing away as he ignored the food in front of him, and casually pulled the small rectangular device out of his pocket, studying it¡¯s dark screen for a moment. Of course, he knew it was foolish to get so disappointed based solely on the voice she decided to use when turning him down with, but knowing this didn¡¯t make him feel any better.


    ¡®Well, I guess it¡¯s nice to know Jenny thinks of me as a friend. That¡¯s also something I am severely lacking in, and even though she¡¯s a bit aggressive, compulsive, stubborn, twisted, ruthless, and derives the majority of her pleasure from making me uncomfortable, she isn¡¯t necessarily evil. Not to mention she has stuck around me longer than anyone else in my life, and even though she often makes me uncomfortable, having her around is far better than being alone 24/7. Being friends isn¡¯t that bad.¡¯


    <>


    Jenny watched with no small amount of confusion as her target slumped back in his chair, pulling a phone out of his pocket, before staring blankly at it¡¯s empty screen for several long seconds. The air around them buzzed with the white noise of the cafeteria, blocking out the faint hum that escaped her closed mouth while her mind raced to figure out what was going on.


    The thought of Jack asking her out in a serious context made absolutely no sense to her, since she was the object of ninety-nine percent of the bullshit he had to deal with every single day, not to mention a complete psychopath, so she had assumed it was a lame first attempt at a joke. However, he made no efforts to continue, and his eyes had looked completely sincere when he spoke, as if he was genuinely asking her to go out on a date with him.


    ¡®What if...¡¯


    Jenny became slightly nervous at the thought of Jack asking her out, but hastily crushed that thought along with the feelings attached to it, remembering her resolve to fight against sharing his sentiment. The girl knewit would be hard from the start, making someone else into a friend without feeling anything for them in return required an excessive amount of self-discipline, which is why it¡¯s so much fun. She couldn¡¯t give in now, especially if he had developed romantic feelings for her, which would make the next step of the plan infinitely easier and more effective.


    ¡°Damn, kid, you just got friend-zoned! By the only girl who can stand to be around you, too! *Chuckle*-shit man, that¡¯s gotta hurt.¡±


    A voice interjected, speaking with a certain confidence that could only belong to some self-proclaimed ¡°alpha-teenager¡± as it¡¯s owner swaggered up to the table, making a point to approach Jenny¡¯s side of the table, and directing his mocking gaze in Jack¡¯s direction. As does just about every ass-wipe in high school with either superior physical or financial power, a collection of yes-men and human weasels followed closely behind him, almost as if they were trying to catch whatever shit he was spewing before it hit the ground.


    ¡°Hey, babe, the name¡¯s Chad. How ¡®bout it? Wanna go out with me?¡±


    Jenny couldn¡¯t help but smile broadly as her eyes rested on the tall junior with wavy blond hair that likely costs more than her entire wardrobe, immediately recognizing him as someone with both physical, and financial walls built around his soft, pink ass to protect him from real life. It was rare for her to find someone she hated this much with only one look, and found herself thanking her lucky stars for such a gift to arrive with unrealistically impeccable timing, almost as if it was a sign from above telling her to follow through with the plan.


    Jenny turned away from Jack, who was ignoring the junior just as he did everyone else, and faced the tall boy, pulling herself up to sit on the smooth white surface of the table while letting her hands rest next to her, pushing her shoulders into a shrug as a flirtatious look crept into her eyes. Whether she likes him or not isn¡¯t a factor at the moment, the important thing was, as usual, Jack¡¯s opinion of the boy, which the girl assumed was not very high, and therefore perfect for the execution of step two.


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Jenny accepted with a smile, perfectly hiding her disgust behind an impenetrable facade one could only acquire through life¡¯s cruel tribulations. With this, she completed step one, and set step two in motion.


    Jenny¡¯s three-step plan: step one- Befriend | step two- ? | step three- ? |

 Chapter 24: Step Two

    Alone, in a small house, sat a young girl, the once lively sapphire eyes now gazing drearily through an empty glass at the smooth wooden table below. Her mind gradually began to sink deeper into her own subconscious as weighted eyelids oppressed her vision, and threatened to pull the girl back to the memories of a life she had long left behind. Her head dipped slightly, causing the short, brown hair to momentarily shift, before a lazy, slender arm lifted from it¡¯s previous resting place on the table¡¯s surface, and caught her cheek in it¡¯s little palm.


    Cradling her head, the girl unhurriedly lifted her eyes up to look at an old clock that hung just above, and to the right of an unyielding front door, as if to remind her of each and every dreaded second that passed.


    ¡®She¡¯s... really gone this time... huh.¡¯


    The terrifying thought she had been avoiding for the past three days drifted through with much less psychological damage than the girl had expected, or, at least, felt. She sighed to herself, sleepily returning her attention to the bone-dry glass while subconsciously feeding her apathetic views with pessimism, cold logic, and self-deprecation. The way she saw it, there was no use in searching for someone that genuinely loves her, and the best she could hope for is finding a decent guy who is willing to marry someone based solely on looks.


    ¡®It¡¯s just as well, I suppose... I would be a terrible person to fall in love wi-¡¯


    A familiar feeling washed over the girl as the big, blue eyes finally gave way to the pressure, submitting to the looming shadow of sleep that was finally able to overthrow her struggling mind, and pull her down into the bowels that held her dreams. The overwhelming exhaustion drowned the girl¡¯s thoughts, pulling her under a placid lake of dark memories and deep wounds that still have yet to fully heal, before once again forcing her to unwillingly confront the core of her being.


    Looking up at her father¡¯s smiling face was one of the few tremendous joys in her life back when she was a child, and had made many fond memories of times when she strived against the odds to chase away his unhappiness. She used to do everything from dancing, to drawing, to simply giving him a hug when he was looking sad, and he would always smile warmly in response before praising her efforts, saying she was an ¡°irreplaceable treasure¡±.


    ¡®Treasure... yeah, right. That introverted lockbox is the closest thing I have to a friend, and I doubt even he thinks of me as anything other than a bitch after what I did to him. I don¡¯t blame him, though. Whether it was a joke or not, he spoke first, and initiated a conversation, which I¡¯m certain is not something he would do for just anyone.¡¯


    The girl¡¯s thoughts turned to the dark-haired boy, recalling the time spent together over the past several years, and almost instantaneously began to noticed a small change in the images¡¯ behavior. Each memory, without exception, would grow moderately brighter each time she set eyes on a specific familiar face, one of an emotionless, dark-eyed boy who had no visible interest in the people around him. That boy had never shown even the smallest trace of hatred towards her, even though he was absolutely justified, not to mention doing that would give her exactly what she wants, and he would never have to worry about being bothered by her again. Yet, he still won¡¯t give in, which fascinated her beyond belief.


    A brilliant ray of light abruptly penetrated ink-black liquid the girl hovered within as she stifled a giggle that tried to escape when a replay of that entertaining boy turn towards her, without any warning, and asked her out on the spot. Now that she thought about it, even if he wasn¡¯t serious, that was pretty cute.


    ¡®Damn it to hell, what am I thinking? My one and only purpose is to break through his indomitable barrier. That¡¯s it. Getting emotionally involved will only...¡¯


    The girl paused halfway through an unsuccessful attempt to shake this strange feeling to watch through her own eyes as she crushed the first words he ever spoke to her, and cruelly threw it back in his face. Wait, why would she do that? All that time spent with him was something she could never get back, and instead of benefitting from it, she¡¯s using it to emotionally destroy the one person in this world that may actually give a damn? Is there something she¡¯s missing that everyone else seems to get? No, this is who she is, and that ¡°feeling¡± is just a chemical reaction in her brain that would only turn her into everyone else, and is most likely a side-effect of becoming to excited about the completion of her plans drawing near.


    The light faded, and dreams she had grown accustomed to slowly began to return, blackening her world, and swallowing her mind as she sunk deeper beneath the surface with every passing moment.


    ¡®Besides... why would he give a damn now? Step two is already happening, and just like I thought, he¡¯s going to shatter.¡¯


    A dull thud immediately shocked the hazy blue eyes open as the girl was jolted back to reality, and redirecting her attention to the origin of the sound, while an alarmed heart pounded wildly in her chest. The young freshman trusted her senses enough to know, without a doubt, that there was was someone on the other side of her front door, the only question that remains unanswered is... who? A young boy was the first person that came to mind, but she quickly shook the thought away, remembering her betrayal, and knowing the likelihood of him coming to see her for any reason was practically zero.


    The metallic rattling of the doorknob, followed by the screeching of rusty hinges reverberated throughout the small room as the heavy wooden door swung inward, revealing a familiar face, one the girl thought she would never see again.


    ¡°Jenny...¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    <Elsewhere>


    Jack returned his phone back to it¡¯s proper place in his right pocket, his interest piqued at the mention of his friend¡¯s name. Yes, over the past few days, the boy had finally come to fully recognize the only constant of his entire childhood, aside from an introverted mindset, as his one and only friend. The habitual resistance against voluntarily accepting someone into his life was gradually outweighed by the tremendous loneliness that came with instantly rejecting everyone that showed even the slightest interest in him.


    A few moments earlier, Jack had caught himself feeling worried about Jenny¡¯s absences over the past couple of days, causing him to lose his appetite and even the desire to read before he finally decided to pick up his phone, and send her a text. Jack¡¯s mind thought back to when the girl had plucked the small device from his hands the moment she laid eyes on it, forcefully entering her own number into his speed dial before sending herself a text composed solely of the phrase [Fuck off] for some reason.


    An hour had passed, and there was still no response from Jenny. A sickening feeling welled up in his stomach as he scrolled through the numerous one-sided messages of his friend endlessly ranting about nothing, noticing how she had spent nearly every night over the past six months trying to capture his attention. Jack had simply ignored the girl¡¯s ravings in the past, dismissing it as nonsensical attempts to screw with him, but when he took a closer look, some of the things she said were a bit too realistically scary, even considering her twisted sense of humor.


    Intermittently strewn out messages would occasionally appear amongst the girl¡¯s ridiculous ramblings of espionage, aliens, and more than a couple pornographic scenarios, that would say something like [I¡¯m hungry... wanna come over for a bite?], followed by a demon face emoji, or [Help a girl out wouldya? My blanket got a hole in it [demon face emoji] and I need a strong man willing to keep me warm.]. Most of these texts were significantly less obvious, but disturbed Jack nonetheless, especially when the boy realized that he had never been to her house, and knew almost nothing about her current living situation aside from the vague, possibly false, trail she had laid.


    It was at this moment that the boy had heard something about his friend, which caught his attention, resulting in him tucking the small device away to limit his distractions, and allow him to concentrate on listening.


    The cafeteria was decently large, and the various teenaged conversations that transpired simultaneously threatened to drown out the voices Jack had quickly recognized as one of Jenny¡¯s boyfriend¡¯s weasels.


    ¡°...this, you know Chad¡¯s new girl? The pretty little brunette freshman?¡±


    The dark-eyed boy slid his chair back, keeping his head faced forward to avoid discovery as the rodent-like sophomore continued with his revelation of ¡°Chad¡¯s new girl¡±, a description that nearly brought a scowl to the eavesdropper¡¯s mouth. In the past, Jack never really had a real urge to punch someone his own age before now, but the thought of Jenny being referred to as that dick¡¯s possession nearly caused him to lose his composure. Jack suppressed the feeling, reminding himself of the current social hierarchy he was legally obliged to attend five days a week, and quickly soothing his anger with a brief fantasy of himself crushing the weasel¡¯s conceited illusions of grandeur with it¡¯s own house of cards. A deep breath cleared the boy¡¯s thoughts, and he was soon able to return his attention to the conversation at hand, which had, fortunately, strayed due to the several crass remarks about Jenny¡¯s ass, and was coming back around to the main subject.


    ¡°Yeah, guys, guess what? Chad got one of the teachers to give him her address so he could check up on her after school, but when he went over to her house yesterday, there wasn¡¯t a car in her driveway. So, he got closer to the window, and when he did, he saw her sitting at a table by herself, all alone.¡±


    Sweat beaded on Jack¡¯s clenched fists as the rough clothing in his grasp wrinkled and twisted from the effort required to restrain a violent outburst. This is heading in a bad direction.


    ¡°Chad stayed their for a while, but no one ever came home. He even checked again this morning, and there was still no car, or any sign of other people! So, he said he doesn¡¯t have anything after lunch, and if there is still no one home with the little bitch, he¡¯s going to go inside this time to *chuckle*... ¡®check up on he-eeeii!?¡¯¡±


    A befitting squeal slid off the shocked weasel-boy¡¯s lips as Jack swiftly left his seat, whipped his left hand around, and grabbed the object of his displeasure by the earlobe, pinching the fleshy protrusion mercilessly between his thumb and forefinger. Pulling the greasy boy out of his seat with with a flurry of profanity, the furious attacker brought his other arm to bare, wrapping his long fingers threateningly around his prey¡¯s exposed throat as their eyes locked.


    ¡®This bastard. This son of a bitch. Jenny¡¯s going to-... and he just called her-... the hell is wrong with this world? Why... I accepted her and they... she¡¯s my only... and he... fuck!¡¯


    Jack¡¯s surprise at his own reaction was drowned out by the deafening roar of anger erupting from his every pore as years of skillfully repressed thoughts, desires, needs, emotions, and traumas nearly caused him to burst at the seams. The enraged freshman didn¡¯t give a damn why he felt this way, and fixated his thoughts solely on getting to his friend before the rich prick had a chance to harm a single hair on her head.


    The weasel squirmed, and the trio of goons across the table abruptly stood, staring at the odd scene playing out before them in disbelief, while a couple started to hesitantly edge forward, uncertain of Jack¡¯s intentions, and fully aware of his experienced movements. However, the wriggling figure in the boy¡¯s grip wasn¡¯t quite as sharp as his peers, and instinctually began to move his mouth.


    ¡°P-p-please! I-I¡¯ll do w-whatever you want... j-just don¡¯t kill me!¡±


    After a childhood spent apathetically brushing aside his troubles, making absolutely certain no one through the impenetrable cage he built for himself, and had so adamantly maintained in the past, the introvert finally relented, letting one person enter. That person immediately proceeded to strike out the moment they entered, unknowingly damaging an important part of him, but instead of simply rejecting her and returning to the lonely world he was raised in, the boy accepted this friendship along with all the hurt that came with it. Now, after all of that, a well-polished piece of shit is planning to use Jenny for his own selfish pleasure, possibly breaking her in the process, before tossing her aside as if she were nothing but an old rag... and this weasel knew about it.


    Jack has no intention to kill anyone, but right now, he was the only one who knew it. A small gathering appeared around them, anxious to observe a fight as the three goons snapped out of their stupor, and began to circle the table. The boy¡¯s eyes burned with a newfound passion; he was going to save Jenny, and officially make her into his friend.


    Jack¡¯s cage was shattered, and he was freed.


    Step one: befriend | Step two: Shatter | Step three: ? |

 Chapter 24: The Final Step

    The ordeal was over in an instant, a solid blow to each of the stereotypical teenage stooges¡¯ face triggering an immediate surrender, and inspiring absolute compliance to any of the dark-eyed assailant¡¯s demands. Jack stood over the three, his hands clenched in anticipation, but rather than a fight, the boy simply watched, temporarily dumbfounded at how little effort it had taken to dispirit the overconfident trio. While the victor had planned to end the fight quickly, his opponents¡¯ tendency to crumble after the first strike caught him, and the audience, completely off-guard, leaving the immediate area void of the usual roaring chatter.


    Jack approached unhesitatingly, keeping the main reason for this fight at the forefront of his mind as he crouched next to the whimpering weasel¡¯s face, and leaned in until he could feel the rodent¡¯s panicked breaths against his skin. The dark-haired boy¡¯s prey shook with genuine fear, a pale completion revealing his limited experience in being on the receiving end of disadvantageous situations, but Jack paid this reaction little attention, and continued to ask his question.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    Jack inquired bluntly, hiding his burning desire to beat the goon to a pulp under an emotionless mask, and letting only the trembling figure beneath him see the danger of sharing false information. Frantic eyes darted to the crowd around him, releasing a silent cry for help to the unflinching bystanders, but found his plea useless on those who were constantly subject to his merciless beatings, and even saw a few smiling at the sight of his misery.


    The dark-eyed freshman watched with growing irritation as despair gradually filled his cowardly upperclassman, and considered forcefully prying the answers free with a couple more well-placed hits. However, he quickly dismissed it since another attack may shock his terrified informant right out of consciousness, which would be incredibly troublesome. For people like him, realizing a peer¡¯s true, unfettered opinion is probably a devastating experience, but Jack didn¡¯t have time to spare on preserving some dipshit¡¯s psyche, or sate a twisted crowd¡¯s bloodlust... he had to find Jenny.


    ¡°Answer me, weasel.¡±


    A sharp voice from above grabbed the the stooge¡¯s attention, redirecting his desperate plea towards the interrogator, but only received a threatening glare in return. Stuttering mumbles fled from the terrified boy¡¯s quivering lips, an incoherent slew of uncertainty that permeated the air around them as the coward weighed his loyalty to the most powerful kid in the school against the severe ass-whooping from an introvert. Jack didn¡¯t have time for this.


    Grabbing the weasel¡¯s collar, Jack stood, forcefully pulling the other boy up along side him in the process as irritation tainted his eyes in response to the unpleasant idea forming in his mind. The dark freshman pushed the trembling goon backward, causing him to stumble past the parting audience, and nearly trip over his own feet as he scrambled away, trying to  escape the annoyed underclassman¡¯s wrath. Of course, Jack had anticipated this reaction, and stepped forward, closing the distance between them in an instant before once again taking hold of his quarry¡¯s collar, and turning to face the exit. After dodging a few uncoordinated flails, the dark-eyed boy pushed the informant forward, this time completely freeing them from the stunned crowd¡¯s encapsulation.


    ¡°Just take me there.¡±


    Jack was thankful for the teachers¡¯ disinterest in their student¡¯s welfare, since not even a single staff member interrupted, giving little more than a passing glance as the two left the building, completely unhindered. The observers whispered to one another, likely debating whether they should follow the pair or not, but lost sight of the freshman and his guide before a solid decision could be made.


    The dark-eyed boy¡¯s urgency compelled him to move faster, rapidly turning his determined walk into an all-out sprint, and allowing himself to slow only while receiving directions from the breathless sophomore who clumsily lagged behind. The repetitive sound of heavy footsteps colliding with the pale sidewalk and two sets of rasping breaths filled Jack¡¯s ears, effectively drowning out the predictable noises of a dreary afternoon. Disinterested in the occurrences around them, the high schoolers twisted and turned, winding their way through the town in desperate pursuit of the one who threatened the dark introvert¡¯s sole friend.


    ¡®Shit.¡¯


    Jack shook his head, throwing the memory of his elementary teacher pinned to a table out of his mind, while actively working against his cynical personality to ward off the oppressive uncertainty that threatened rational thought. Worrying about things you can¡¯t change does nothing but perpetuate stress, and often makes the situation worse. Jack already knew this, but that knowledge brought little comfort to his already strained conscience. He stumbled, momentarily losing his balance as the teenager in tow collapsed from exhaustion just behind him, and nearly drug them both to the ground.


    ¡®I don¡¯t have time for this goddamn weasel.¡¯


    Jack turned, snapping his entire figure back to face his guide, a fiery gaze brought to bare against yet another problematic situation. A Terror-stricken weasel watched the boy¡¯s approach with frantic eyes, condemned to helplessness by his own aching muscles, though still retaining the ability to understand how much danger he was in.


    ¡°Tell me where.¡±


    A voice laced with poison escaped Jack¡¯s clenched jaw, subconsciously drawn from the cynicism and fear that pooled in the darkest corners of his mind, and held out threateningly before the trembling informant. His unwavering gaze and the lack of hesitation after such an exhausting sprint made the weasel¡¯s attacker seem almost inhuman, while in reality, the desperate boy was barely on his feet, and felt as if he might succumb to the gentle embrace of darkness any moment now.


    ¡°Where is her house?¡±


    Jack spoke again, this time restraining his anger enough to persuade the terrified boy rather than simply inflaming an already overbearing fear, and leaving him bereft of intelligible speech. However, the indomitable fire that burned behind the dark brown eyes did not relent, neither did the threatening aura cease to oppress the coward¡¯s ¡°loyalty¡± to the one he had previously considered worthy of his service.


    ¡°S-s-second r-right, th-third house on th-the right.¡±


    The long-awaited answer stuttered it¡¯s way past a quivering lip, shakily delivering necessary information to the impatient boy, who upon receiving it, turned away, and heavily pushed off the concrete sidewalk as he resumed the chase. Each footfall resounded through Jack¡¯s hazy mind, his strength fading as the anaerobic exercise stiffened his muscles, and ground his joints together. Memories of his friend¡¯s poorly hidden issues followed by his own apathetic dismissal of her every time she tried to get close flashed before him, and inducing a brief malaise while an unsettling thought filled his weary mind.


    ¡®Did I... do this to her? Could I have been one of the people who damaged her without even realizing it?¡¯


    Fists and jaw clenched tightly against the pain, the introvert quickened his pace, his wavering resolve reinforced by one incontrovertible fact that he was well aware of; Jenny is in danger. He approached the aforementioned street in mere seconds, noticing the lack of jackasses that had crossed his path so far, and could just barely restrain the gut-wrenching images that threatened to completely shatter whatever fragile part of him allowed this intense anxiety to exist. Jack had no doubts about the sincerity of his friendship with Jenny, because there is absolutely no way he would exert this much effort, or care this deeply for anyone else unless this was real.


    The sharp corner drew near. Still no sign of Jenny¡¯s boyfriend.


    Jack didn¡¯t care if they never got married, or had any other relationship besides the one they¡¯ve currently maintained for so many years, he just wanted to fix the problem, and see what her smile looks like when even Jenny herself isn¡¯t prepared for it. The dark-eyed boy wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she hated him, but that didn¡¯t matter. Fighting for one¡¯s self is unfruitful, yet it¡¯s the only way to survive without relying on others. Even if she abhorred him until the day he died, at least he would never be alone. Jenny would always be his friend, even if he could never be her¡¯s.


    ¡®Goddammit, this sucks. I don¡¯t think every angels in heaven and demons of hell combined could have predicted this unlikely friendshi-...¡¯


    Jack stopped.


    All fell silent save for the occasional broken rasps of a trembling boy¡¯s hollow breathing, his dark brown eyes locked on one of the very few scenes in this world that could possibly have this effect on him. Around the corner was a long street, lined, just like every other, with an assortment of slums that made up about half of the small town¡¯s housing, but that alone was not enough to break his determined stride. It is true, this trail of abandoned homes and decaying houses was unfit for any human to live in, but it was missing the one thing he had so desperately hoped to see upon arrival, the only thing that could fix this situation.


    As much as he hated to admit it, the thing Jack wanted to see more than anything at that moment was the smug face of that jerk-off, making this a physical problem that could be easily resolved with a few well-placed physical solutions. However, there was no one. The street was void of life... which could only mean one thing.


    ¡®I w-was... too late...¡¯


    The words rang through Jack¡¯s mind, a hollow, ear-piercing note that shattered the final palisade, allowing the suppressed doubt and dread of the past hour to inundate his mind. He couldn¡¯t save her. He risked everything that held any value to him, and lost it all to a selfish brat¡¯s whimsical indulgence of lust-driven fantasies.


    ¡®Why the fuck did I stop?¡¯


    If this was true, then Jenny is still in danger. Jack isn¡¯t here to defeat a rapist, and rescue the beautiful virgin who¡¯s only value exists in her innocence, but assist a friend who is in serious trouble. The boy lifted his weighted foot off the ground, slowly extending it out as he pushed through the overwhelming depression that constantly haunted his existence.


    ¡®If I can¡¯t catch that bastard before he hurts her, then I can at least help my friend heal properly from the damage.¡¯


    The haze dissipated, forcefully pushed from his dark eyes as they sharpened with renewed purpose, and locked on the third structure down the narrow street. Jack¡¯s legs gradually shed their rigidity with each step, his mind returning it¡¯s focus to the increasingly difficult task that lay just over a few hundred feet ahead, before simulating how to deal with some of the more likely situations.


    ¡®Damn it!¡¯


    The dark-eyed boy cut through the third house¡¯s front yard, eyes drawn away from the missing window panes and softball-sized holes in the brittle siding to a slightly ajar front door, one that had seemingly been closed in a hurry. A sickening dread slid it¡¯s icy finger down Jack¡¯s spine as he became acutely aware of the implications, and found himself barely able to hold back the vomit welling up in his churning stomach.


    Silence was a truly nauseating welcome as Jack approached the entrance of his only friend¡¯s house, a weary right arm brought to bare against the surprisingly solid-looking door. The boy¡¯s teeth clenched in anticipation, the desperate introvert threw his body at the obstacle with all the momentum he could muster in a poorly-conceived attempt to speed up his transit into the building, but rather than success, he found yet another troublesome hinderance.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    With a dull thud, Jack¡¯s stunned body bounced off the sturdy wooden door, and sent him reeling backwards, before falling heavily to the concrete entryway below. The sharp pain from the unexpected trauma sent the befuddled freshman into a brief haze, confusion and urgency temporarily distorting his sense of direction. The boy glanced back to the wooden barrier that was somehow able to withstand his attack despite the rotting frame that held it in place, and noticed an old strip of wood that jutted out along it¡¯s edge, creating the illusion of the door being pushed slightly inward.


    Jack snapped out of his trance, suddenly remembering that an illusion had little to do with what was happening just beyond the thin palisade, and pushed himself up off the cold, hard ground.


    ¡®I have to... I WILL get up...¡¯


    In his haste, he boy¡¯s unsteady hand reached for the bronze handle before he had completely returned to his feet, causing him to stumble, and nearly fall back down, but strong fingers wrapped around the cold knob just in time to catch his descent.


    ¡®Jenny is about to-or has been... or is being...¡¯


    Jack twisted the handle, feeling the internal scraping of rusted metal as he did, and mentally prepared himself for the worst case scenario as he flung the the heavy wooden door away with all the strength he could muster.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to save her, even from just hurting alone...¡¯


    The weary pursuer stared as shrieking hinges swung the door inward, revealing a scene he had not prepared for, and could only stand in place with a dumbfounded expression plastered on his young face.


    There, sitting at a small wooden table was the one person he had been searching for, glassy brown eyes gazing intently through a mess of short, brown hair, and cradling a small, empty glass in her slender fingers. A nearly empty room surrounded the girl, making her appear even smaller than she actually was, though presented no signs of struggle, or recent activity of any kind. It was almost as if someone came in and swept the forsaken homestead, placed the clearly over-tired girl down at a rickety table, and left before capturing the picturesque image in a photograph.


    ¡°Jenny...¡±


    The name slipped from the injured rescuer¡¯s tongue as a flicker of hope formed under the piles of cynicism that typically cluttered his mind, and brought to light yet another possibility, one he had not previously thought of.


    ¡®What if... he never intended to show up? All that talk about attacking Jenny... it could have been nothing more than a way to draw attention to himself.¡¯


    All bark and no bite is a common trait among people who have had everything handed to them on a silver platter, mostly because fighting for something that could easily be attained with a simple request or bribe makes absolutely no sense to them. Why would a rich, attractive young man risk his social status to pleasure himself with one girl while many ¡°better¡± options were quite literally throwing themselves at him? The junior likely got tired of waiting for his attention-farming tool, deciding to use her absence as a way to both break up, and raise his own reputation as a ¡°badass¡± to new heights.


    The lonely girl¡¯s dark friend had an odd reaction to the reality that slowly formed as the pieces finally began to fall in their proper places, catching both of them off-guard, and leaving the the old room deathly silent.


    <From Jenny¡¯s Perspective>


    ¡°Confused¡± did not even begin to describe the look on Jenny¡¯s face as she stared in awe at the dark-haired boy who was barely able to stand up straight in the ancient doorway, and for the first time in her memory, was at a complete loss for words. The sapphire eyes of an uncertain girl quickly adjusted to a sudden influx of the pale, afternoon light, before fixing on Jack¡¯s raw arms and bruised face with a horridly slow, and painfully unfamiliar sadness swelling within her small chest.


    Slender fingers tightened around the small, empty glass in Jenny¡¯s hand as she fought against the powerful urge to leap from her unsteady chair, and tend to his injuries, but was restrained by an expression that even she had ever seen before on the dark boy¡¯s face.


    The long-awaited reaction that Jenny had worked so hard to witness, and given a third of her life just to be the one who caused it, finally appeared. However, the unexpected feelings that formed during this five-year mission didn¡¯t fade like they were supposed to, and when the sadistic girl¡¯s eyes cautiously rested on the familiar face in the doorway, her once impenetrable facade shattered. A barrier built to resist the sharpest words, and a tongue quick enough to strike down the mightiest of foes rendered useless by the gentle, relieved smile of an unlikely companion.


    The same blue eyes that always lit up at Jack¡¯s apathetic responses, and would spend hours at a time trying to discern the deep secrets locked within his mind with a mercilessly obtrusive gaze, now watched as the dark boy lean heavily on the rotten doorframe with his left hand, trying to catch his breath. The alert eyes of a weary pursuer scanned the surrounding room for a couple of moments, quietly searching for any possible hidden threats, but soon found the unfurnished house to have very few places that would suitably conceal someone, and relaxed.


    ¡°J...J-Jack, w-what are you-!?¡±


    Jenny¡¯s question caught in her throat as the dark figure pushed off the wooden entryway with his supporting arm, and swiftly crossed the brittle wooden floor, his decently long stride to close the distance between them in a mere three steps. Each heavy footfall that landed on the hollow floor brought the intimidating figure closer the small table where a young girl nervously awaited, unsure of how the next few moments would play out if she tried to flee.


    Jack stopped when he reached the obstacle, dark eyes passing over the rough surface between himself and the wide-eyed classmate who was barely out of arm¡¯s reach, but made no attempt to step around or move it in any way. The welcoming smile faded into a contemplative frown as the boy¡¯s attention shifted from the obvious problem to some underlying hinderance, but, with a brief pause, came up with a solution, and turned back to the situation at hand with renewed vigor.


    ¡°Jenny, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Silence pervaded the small room.


    ¡®What?¡¯


    An apology was the last thing Jenny was expecting to hear at this moment, but before she even had a chance to sort out how her feelings, the boy continued, unaware of the stupor he had induced with the first phrase of his monologue, and clearly anxious to finish without interruption.


    ¡°I completely dismissed you while you were hurting, and ignored your attempts to tell me about...¡±


    Jack glanced around, his hands awkwardly gesturing to the peeling walls, crumbling ceiling, and surprisingly well-maintained floors as he inwardly searched for an accurate description, but found none.


    ¡°...this. If I¡¯d paid any attention, I would have been able to help make it a-... livable home. It¡¯s my fault that you¡¯ve had to deal with this by yourself for the past five years, and for that, I am truly sorry.¡±


    It began to make sense, though Jenny still didn¡¯t understand why Jack decided to come to her house today, of all days. Did he somehow find out about the third, and final, step of her plan, then come just to stop it? If that were so, it would explain all of this shifting the blame from her conscience to himself, and why he looked so relieved to her.


    ¡®No.¡¯


    If Jack¡¯s just here to prevent her from finishing what she started all those years ago, then he is no longer suited for entertainment, but yet another obstacle for the girl to overcome.


    ¡®I refuse to submit to anything, not even...¡¯


    Jenny hesitated, looking at the distraught eyes that pierced through the boy¡¯s outwardly untouchable defenses as if it were nothing, and momentarily lost sight of her original goal. She didn¡¯t want to hurt him, so what¡¯s stopping her from leaping over this accursed table right now and accepting him with open arms?


    ¡®Oh... that¡¯s right. Reality.¡¯


    Jack can¡¯t help her, no matter how much sentiment or good intentions he carries with him. Jenny has no money, her house is in shambles, her family is god-knows-where, and after three days, she¡¯s likely to have failed all of the classes that she barely maintained in the first place. If all this wasn¡¯t enough, Jenny is insane. Absolutely, without a doubt, a complete psychopath who only find something else to obsess about the moment she accepts this too-good-to-be-true offer he has extended to her, which will most likely wind up with him paying it¡¯s high price. That can¡¯t happen.


    Jenny stood, her chair rumbling as it slid against the grooved floor, while a hand, weakened with exhaustion, unintentionally knocked the small glass on it¡¯s side, and sent it rolling across the raised wooden platform. Noticing this motion, Jack quickly stepped forward, extending a steady hand just in time to catch the fragile container before it shattered, before slowly returning it to it¡¯s former upright position on the table.


    ¡°You can¡¯t fix this, Jack. You can¡¯t fix me.¡±


    Jenny had an uncharacteristically serious tone in her voice, which she had thought would dissuade the boy, but Jack showed no sign of relent, and simply listened with a unchangingly soft expression.


    ¡°I have no money for food or heating, and no family to come home to. I¡¯m obsessive, and take pleasure in inflicting pain on others. Surely you know by now that before the week is over I would end up betraying for nothing more than a good laugh, or concoct yet another plan to make your life a living hell, so just leave. You did your part.¡±


    In an attempt to incite a reaction, Jenny made sure to throw in a provocative phrase at the end, which she was certain would kindle a spark of rage in his eyes, and, in her mind, prove the argument right. However, the persistent flame in Jack¡¯s gaze never once flared or faltered at the weakened girl¡¯s words, but retained an almost out of place, while still very comforting warmth which he openly projected for her acceptance, or rejection.


    The brown-haired freshman didn¡¯t understand exactly why, but something inside her heaving breast began to burn, it¡¯s flame igniting dormant stores of energy that exploded out of every cell in the twisted high-schooler¡¯s frail body, and fueling the double-edged sword known as rage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare pity me. You came here, you pried into my life, and now you think you there is anything you can do to stop the final step of my plan? You, who wouldn¡¯t even lift a finger to save your own sorry ass, are going to help me?¡±


    Jenny took a step to the right, staring intensely at the only person in the entire world who meant anything to her, and began to move forward with an undoubtedly threatening look in her beautiful sapphire eyes. The terrifying figure knew that she had done nothing to deserve such a friend, but with every kindness and adorable memory that forced it¡¯s way into her heart, surge of passionate fury arose to destroy it, as well as a small part of herself. Tears beaded in the corners of the glassy blue eyes in spite of her tremendous efforts to withhold them, but this minor inconvenience was hardly enough to hinder the girl who had spent five years trying to satisfy her lust, and she continued with increasing volume.


    ¡°Just fuck off and leave me alone already! Can¡¯t you take a hint!? GET. THE. FUCK. OUT!¡±


    Jenny approached the target of her fury, who kept strained, but motionless stance throughout the rant while clearly fighting the overwhelming urge to respond. However, this silence had a greater effect than one might have thought, and in the silence that followed, the worn out student¡¯s unchallenged hatred had already begun to drain from her face. Jack had already made his decision, so interrupting now would do nothing but confuse his friend further, and cause her to push against him even harder in self-defense.


    ¡°You just... you just...*sniff*... just don¡¯t...¡±


    Jenny¡¯s voice gradually lost it¡¯s hostility, shed with the tears that now drenched her pale cheeks, and instantly replaced by the untainted, unrestrained, undefended truth of what she feared more than anything else.


    ¡°...just don¡¯t leave me.¡±


    A hushed voice almost whispered the request as Jenny leaned forward, hesitantly resting her soft head on Jack¡¯s chest, and feeling a contented smile brush the corners of her lips for the first time since she was a toddler. The slow rise and fall of someone else¡¯s lungs pushing against her head comforted the fragile ex-sadist, a reassuring that there is someone who cares, and is willing to sacrifice his time just to keep her company. And...


    ¡®He didn¡¯t move this time. He¡¯s just... here for me. I think I could get used to th-¡¯


    Jack shifted slightly, lifting his idle arms up, and wrapping them around Jenny¡¯s back, which trembled in response to the unexpected contact, but made no attempt to pull away or resist this physical act of acceptance. The world subtly drifted into the background as the brown-haired girl sank deep into his embrace, and helplessly fell into something that even she could easily recognize; a painfully inconvenient, extremely unlikely, hopelessly irresistible, absolutely undeniable, and irreparably completing love.


    ¡®What if... he wasn¡¯t joking? Who am I kidding, jack doesn¡¯t make jokes, he was really serious! He... he asked me out!¡¯


    An energizing realization nearly caused Jenny¡¯s heart to leap from her chest, the faint smile that hid under a veil of short brown hair grew longer, and more defined as she suddenly found herself pausing to summon up the courage to speak for the first time, but stopped. There was a problem, and not a small one at that.


    ¡®I don¡¯t deserve Jack, even as a friend. He needs someone perfect! But... I don¡¯t think perfect people exist. Hmm...¡¯


    The brilliant smile vanished from Jenny¡¯s slender lips as a look of determination forced it¡¯s way across her sleepy face, hardening as she began to piece together yet another scheme, and sorting through them with a bias to keep one significant detail constant throughout.


    ¡®Well... if I can¡¯t have perfect, I¡¯ll settle with loyalty, beauty, and maybe a cute personality. I won¡¯t let him consider a girl unless I¡¯m absolutely certain that she will never betray him. Of course, she has to be cute as well... that seems fair, but what if there are multiple? Or none?¡¯


    A greedy smile appeared on the young girl¡¯s tear-stained face as one solution after another popped into her strange mind, and the final step of the five-year plan which would end a sad, fifteen-year story changed to a five-year step that would initiate it¡¯s happy beginning.


    | Step one: befriend | Step two: shatter | Step three: end ???

 Chapter 25: Terra part 1

    The mutilated ground finally settled, allowing the strewn earth to fall into a motionless landscape, and the dark blade¡¯s awestruck master to realized the weight of his current situation. The deep gashes and rippled terrain decorated the land beneath his feet, confirming what he just saw as more than just a simple illusion or dream, but the powerful demon king still found himself doubting his senses.


    Monsters react violently out of instinct when confronted with a threat or gifted with some kind of prey, but willingly rally behind a leader who¡¯s strength greatly surpasses their own if possible. Power is the most desired and respected factor in their hierarchical societies, and since there¡¯s a tremendous amount of physical, magical, and numerical strength in unity, an army of monsters is not inconceivable if a suitable leader arises.


    Wraiths were made for command, hand-crafted by the gods themselves to bring order when needed, and chaos when beneficial. Even humanity, despite their fragile loyalties and untamable individuality, eventually bent a submissive knee to these who hail as the greatest of all terrestrial beings. If this was truly the case, and ¡°demon kings¡± were made to lead all other creatures on this earth...


    The dark figure shifted, returning to his senses as two blood-red dots turned to face him, sliding a wary foot back across the dirt to create a more defensive position. it didn¡¯t require Mr. White¡¯s superior intellect to know that an attack would fail, or a survivable escape was nigh impossible, so the demon king hardened his resolve and habitually straightened his slightly askew tie. Never let it be said that Charles White met death with anything but his best. After all, they will only meet once.


    The wraith¡¯s gaze locked on the once-human boy who¡¯s intimidating aura exuded tremendous amounts of power, silently analyzing the demigod¡¯s calculated movements for any sign of hostility or reason. The boy gave nothing away, his face retaining a calm expression which perfectly complimented the unhurried, yet direct placing of his feet, and the seemingly limitless crimson magic that was skillfully wrapped around his frame.


    The dark-eyed boy¡¯s black t-shirt rippled as a light breeze blew past, catching what little smoke and dust still drifted in the area around the two before fading into the background. Two blood-red eyes seemed to burn through the stoic boy¡¯s hard features, the mystic energy within them betraying a well-hidden frustration that still hadn¡¯t dispersed, and their certainty manifesting his determination. A slight smile broke the wraith¡¯s solemn expression as he marveled at this ex-human¡¯s strange abilities, and felt an unfamiliar respect towards the person opposite him.


    ¡°In all honesty, I don¡¯t think someone who¡¯s weak as myself could¡¯ve defeated that unsavory bastard... definitely not in a head-to-head fight.¡±


    Charles White spoke, lightly tugging at end of his sleeve to smooth a few unwanted wrinkles, and released a long sigh. Jack¡¯s movements slowed as the distance between them grew smaller, but retained a visible frustration, and even began to feed more magic into the already oppressive aura surrounding him.


    ¡°I suppose it would¡¯ve been wisest to kill you before you... uh...¡±


    The wraith paused, searching for a word to accurately describe something that he himself didn¡¯t fully understand, and unintentionally fell once more into confusion. Gods almost exclusively endow humans with the power of a ¡°hero¡± since monsters may be unpredictable or have some kind incompatible magic, but Jack¡¯s continuous growth and efficient utilization of magical power are uniquely innate features. However, humans do not have a natural flow of magic large enough to utilize, and even if he somehow did, this level of evolution would still be an insurmountable achievement. Not even a wraith like himself, who¡¯s race is literally made to be the most elite third-evolution monster, could put up a fight.


    Jack was many things, but only two of them concerned Mr. White at the moment, and neither of them would allow this interaction to end peacefully.


    ¡°...before you became stronger than me... and enraged due to our unfortunate circumstances.¡±


    The dark-eyed boy stopped not ten feet away, his breaths continuing evenly as he stared with a stony expression, and slowly retracted the previously lax magic surrounding him in preparation of his next move. Jack¡¯s arm radiated with an oppressive heat from where the high concentration of energy within it¡¯s blood-red surface met the air outside, but the wraith simply ignored it, distracted by an almost melancholic curiosity towards the boy¡¯s unexpected halt.


    ¡°I am glad it is you who walks away, though. We may disagree on some things, but you have friends who obviously care about your well-being, and the humans have be less than coopera-!?!.¡±


    Magical power erupted from Jack¡¯s backside, propelling him diagonally past the wraith with barely more than a breath of wind in his wake before arching back in the direction they came from earlier, and leaving the admission of defeat unfinished. The befuddled demon king quickly searched himself, uncertain whether or not the boy had struck him in passing, but found no injuries.


    ¡®Ah, of course, I nearly forgot about the mess we left behind.¡¯


    Mr. White shook the confusion from his mind, and straightened to assume his full height, before quickly turning to face the distant town that Jack was already approaching. A potential battlefield of terrified humans and overeager monsters lay beneath those two girls¡¯ feet, and without the humans¡¯ ¡°hero¡± next to them, they would soon be trampled into the dirt or taken for questioning. The wraith knew that neither scenario would end with the two walking away, even if they answered every question asked.


    To save them, will Jack side with the monsters, the humans, or take his friends and let everything unfold without intervention? If he sided with monsters, then the boy could easily subdue and maintain the magic-less race, and live out his days in complete freedom¡­ however, that doesn¡¯t seem very likely to happen. Considering the once-man¡¯s painfully altruistic personality, he will most likely side with his old species, but then again, that demigod is tough for even a demon king to predict.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually pretty interested in how this will play out.¡±


    Black smoke surrounded the wraith as he summoned his magic, spilling over the rough ground, and slowly enveloping his legs in their impenetrable writhing mass.


    ¡°I wonder how much he¡¯s changed since our last meeting.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    <Just Outside The Town>


    The air shifted as Jack¡¯s lean frame streaked across the countryside, his magic effortlessly propelling him through the air while simultaneously negating the destructive side-effects they caused. Fire danced in his eyes as he scanned the world below for any sign of Jenny and Val, directing his attention toward the divide, but remaining fully aware of the churning sea of assorted war machines and monsters surrounding it. Cautious of the thinning tension that restrained the hordes, the boy slowed, using his newly attained control to awkwardly but calmly land on the scene¡¯s edge, and resumed his search on foot.


    (Wow... Jack, your body is amazing now!)


    Ellis¡¯s voice excitedly shouted unnecessarily loud in Jack¡¯s skull, her borderline shrill voice penetrating the low rumble of monstrous bodies shifting anxiously with a contrasting upbeat tone. The boy continued to move across the ground, occasionally casting a worried glance at the millions of watchful eyes that openly betrayed either the owners¡¯ fear of bloodshed or thirst for it. Both were equally threatening to the girls¡¯ safety.


    ¡®I know. I¡¯m afraid one misstep while I still have yet to adjust might be really destructive, or trigger some kind of war...¡¯


    (Hu hu hu hu)


    ¡®...or something...¡¯


    Jack¡¯s mind trailed off after Ellis¡¯s unexpected chuckle, dipping into a shallow confusion while trying to discern the goddess¡¯s intentions. However, this befuddlement didn¡¯t last very long.


    (I was talking about your figure.)


    ¡®Of course you were...¡¯


    A dry response followed Ellis¡¯s predictable comment, sending her into a series of mischievous giggles and incoherent mutterings about nonsensical fantasies. The boy ignored her distracting little quirks which seemed to be uncontrollable for some reason, kicking aside a particularly large boulder that had been unearthed during his brief time in this area, and impatiently cast an analyzing gaze over some of the more obscure places that might hide the two girls from sight. Nothing.


    Jack considered quickening his pace, but the stench of fear was already washing over the small divide in nauseating waves, so he quickly dismissed the idea. It was already evident that diplomacy would be insufficient, and the impending devastation will probably end with either monsters obliterating humankind or humankind reducing most of this world to a radioactive wasteland. That is, unless something or someone stronger intervenes. In any case, he thought it best to wait until after Jenny and Val were safe before making any sudden moves.


    Jack considered his current position. He had no loyalties to this world, and no love for it¡¯s inhabitants- excluding his friends, of course- not to mention siding with the humans would only redirect their fear towards himself, or worse, become some kind of superhero figure. The boy¡¯s face darkened, and chills crawled down his back as he thought of the hellish torture that comes with being someone¡¯s ¡°hero¡±. Then again...


    (Listen to me!)


    ¡®-f-ucking hell...¡¯


    A jarring shout numbed the demigod¡¯s mind as Ellis¡¯s impatience shattered his thoughts, and nearly sent him staggering backwards in shock. Deep red flames littered with numerous streaks of hot pink light slid up Jack¡¯s arm, reacting defensively to a non-existent threat, and flooding the immediate area with it¡¯s alluring magic. The boy¡¯s eyes widened as he realized what was going to happen, and instantly cut off the energy coursing through his arm.


    (Ha! Can¡¯t sense a surprise attack when the attacker doesn¡¯t have a body! I¡¯m the only one who can surprise you now!)


    The semi-deceased goddess herself shouted triumphantly in Jack¡¯s mind, ignoring the sound of monsters shifting their attention toward them, and the lust for magic that was completely evident in their glowing eyes.


    ¡®Did you do that on purpose?¡¯


    (Caution was crippling you, my love. I simply removed it from the equation.)


    The humans have already become disquieted due to their intimidating enemy¡¯s sudden change in temperament, cautiously bringing their weapons to bear as several commanding officers shouted insults at some of the more relaxed foot-soldiers. Every single ranged weapon in sight focused either on Jack or the occasional fury that greedily, but cautiously strayed from the pack.


    (Besides, if something bad happened to them before you got here, moving this slow might take too long.)


    ¡®Then just say that.... I¡¯m not sure I can take on this many enemies at once, much less defend two other people in the process.¡¯


    A thunderous clap of heavy artillery exploding from one of the spectating tanks echoed across the mutilated plain, shattering the painful silence as a metallic projectile tore across the ground at it¡¯s target. Jack watched the armor-piercing round pass through the air in slow motion, not entirely adjusted to his newly attained speed.


    (You¡¯re a middle existence now, Jack! Instead of just expanding you¡¯re magical flow, you reorganized it so you can use it more directly! You¡¯re body really IS amazing...)


    Ellis trailed off again, speaking with even more energy than usual as Jack turned away from the hovering object and back to where he last saw the girls. This war, though unfortunate, is not his first priority. The ex-human will do what he can to keep this world alive, but not until he was sure Val and Jenny were safe from it.


    Jack¡¯s right arm erupted in flames followed by a crimson whip that lashed outward from his palm ten feet from the ground in the humans¡¯ direction, and instantly severed all obstructions that lie stagnate in it¡¯s path, stunning the terrified audience into a stupor. The boy knew what would follow their recovery, immediately deciding it was best not to waste time on pointless details like how this move gave them a more direct line of fire, and instead extending his already glowing left arm out over the horde.


    With barely more than a thought, Jack released two massive charges of magic simultaneously out of his left arm and backside, igniting the monsters¡¯ front line with bright red electricity as he streaked across the mutilated field. Magic leaked from the boy¡¯s pores, trailing behind him as he began to manipulate the wind¡¯s force before resuming the search for his friends once again, this time with slightly less emphasis on caution. Shrieks filled the air to his left as the closer monsters who weren¡¯t vaporized by the artificial lightning collapsed, and were immediately trampled by their unfazed allies who either didn¡¯t care, or just hadn¡¯t noticed due to the massive difference in size.


    ¡®Shit.¡¯


    The rumble of jet engines and the rhythmic beating of propellers became distantly audible, but since helicopters travel much slower than jets, they were most likely sent by some local news network, and shouldn¡¯t pose much of a threat. However, the jets are probably well armed not likely to hold back on account of two or three humanoid bystanders, especially when one of them is spraying iridescent energy from his arms.


    ¡®Where the hell did they g-¡®


    (There!)


    Jack felt Ellis pull his attention off to the right, easing his worried mind as two familiar figures came into view. The dark-haired boy immediately releasing the brilliant pink electricity before making a ninety-degree turn in their direction. Val and Jenny warily stood over nearly a dozen fallen soldiers not far out from the human army¡¯s front line, unaware of Jack¡¯s presence, and violently trembling for numerous understandable reasons. The shorter of the two loosely held a sleek camouflaged assault rifle which she probably looted from one of the unfortunate souls who underestimated her abilities, but looked as if she was about to collapse from exhaustion. Fortunately, while Jenny did seem to be slightly flushed from her previous interactions, she didn¡¯t appear to have any major handicaps.


    Jack felt the anger he possessed towards the deceased hero instantly melt away as two startled blue eyes cast a quick glance in his direction, Jenny being closer and more alert was first to hear the dark-haired boy approach. Val, noticing Jenny¡¯s movement swiftly directed the rifle along with her gaze towards the disturbance, skillfully braced the weapon¡¯s underside with her other hand while preparing to fire, but froze before pulling the trigger.


    (Hu hu hu,.. we¡¯re all gonna die if you don¡¯t do something, dummy.)


    A chuckle followed by a quick, unnecessary comment from Ellis brought a smile to Jack¡¯s face despite the terrible situation they were in. She was right, though. No matter how much he may want to, there was no stopping until the irritated masses of opposing warriors either back down, or are rendered unable to continue.


    ¡®Well then... let¡¯s do something.¡¯

 Chapter 25.5: Dramatic Measures

    Various roars of both mechanical and mystical creatures alike filled Jack¡¯s ears and momentarily overwhelmed his senses as he weaved through the torrent of attacks that followed. Fortunately, Val was able to keep her thoughts together, and had previously pulled Jenny into one of the deeper craters in the ground to hide them from any stray ranged attacks. However, this would only act as a temporary barrier against the oncoming horde.


    (Use magic!)


    ¡®Obviously¡­¡¯


    Jack released a tense breath, turning away from the two huddled figures that he could now protect, and directed a menacing glare towards the monsters that would dare harm them. Power flowed easily through his newly acquired veins of magic, dancing like fire as he brought the blood-red energy to bear in his right hand, and shaped it to form a crimson whip.


    Jack glanced around in search of any hidden foes, but there was nothing except a few scattered pieces of debris between him and his new targets. One or two creatures he didn¡¯t recognize had used magic to hide themselves, but the dark-eyed demigod was able to sense them easily, rendering their current ¡°surprise attack¡± completely ineffective.


    ¡®Good, nowhere for them to run.¡¯


    Figuring it would be pointless to wait for something else to strike first, especially since the war had already begun, Jack launched from his idle position to join the fray. Behind, a dense gathering of stagnant magic hung in his wake with intention to slow or stop anything that might be a threat to his friends¡¯ safety, whether it was alive or not.


    A dark red streak collided with a particularly fast ghoul, the first in a long line which rapidly fell prey to the dark-eyed attacker¡¯s powerful magic. Fire lashed out, instantly consuming three of the larger humanoid creatures who were just barely able to follow Jack¡¯s movements with their eyes. At the same time, the boy threw an intimidating bolt of crimson lightning that struck a wide-eyed ogre square in the chest... then another... then another¡­ then one more before finally meeting a rather large, and very displeased serpent¡¯s scales.


    ¡®What the hell is that? How did I miss something so big?¡¯


    (Whoa¡­ it¡¯s a leviathan... Despite being only a second-evolution monster, it¡¯s stronger than most third-evolution ones, and a few can even speak clearly when they want to. The only reason it can be classified so low is because they evolve into dragons, which have been known to surpass the size of mountains, so killing it would probably damage morale on both sides¡­ shoot him again! Harder this time!)


    Jack¡¯s eyes rested on the massive snake-like creature that had somehow buried itself in the sea monsters, estimating the sapphire body¡¯s length to be several hundred feet long. While infinitely more dangerous than those surrounding it, the stone-faced combatant could tell this foe was just barely weaker than Charles White, confirming Ellis¡¯s statement. Although, it wasn''t simply the creature''s strength he was after, but its ability to speak.


    ¡®Hang on¡­ I have an idea.¡¯


    (Yeah, cut it down the middle! Then you can let both halves fly past you in a big, badass, bloody scene!)


    Ignoring the gruesome suggestion of his other personality, Jack arced left, pulling his torso back as both feet slammed into the ground. The roar of earth, and wake of dirt brought him to a dramatic halt directly in front of the blue-scaled beast, creating a scene that very few could ignore. Obviously, he challenged it.


    The two froze as their eyes met, and everything else paused to watch in fear, or greedily await the inevitable spill of magic that would soon follow. However, the Leviathan didn¡¯t lash out immediately, but watched Jack with two dark yellow eyes and an undeniably threatening sneer. However, the boy simply stood in place, patiently waiting for the appropriate time to speak his mind.


    ¡°Fool. Child. Abomination. Back down. Human, cower among humans. Monster, submit like monsters.¡±


    The Leviathan spoke its command in a calm voice, though each word plowed through the stagnant air, and recaptured the sea of onlookers with a direct response to the challenge. Jack continued in silence as the creature rose to a more intimidating height, casting a fluid shadow across the wafting smoke as if to expand its presence. The morning sun disappeared behind the sapphire serpent¡¯s back, leaving a darkened space between the opposing forces void of any life.


    Perfect.


    Jack inhaled, pausing for a brief moment to gather his thoughts before offering a reply.


    ¡°I need your voice. Speak for me.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    The phrase came clearly, Jack¡¯s unwavering voice nearly mute in comparison, though not a word failed to reach the intended target. An eerie silence hung in the air, fortunately aiding the boy¡¯s effort. Although, while his thoughts might have been accurately conveyed, the sapphire leviathan seemed to have some trouble understanding. Its head retracted slightly, and the slit pupils that were centered on its scintillating irises narrowed suspiciously.


    ¡°Human, cower among humans. Monster, submit like mons-.¡±


    The demand was issued once more, wearing at the dark-haired boy¡¯s patience for the last time. Before the final statement had completed, Jack disappeared from the Leviathan¡¯s vision, and caused the creature to waver as it began to understand the weight of this situation. The audience -most of which were unable to see the boy in the first place- glanced around nervously as the towering creature turned its eyes to the massive horde of bodies in search of the assumed-to-be escaping prey.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°I said¡­¡±


    Jack brought his heel down right between the creature¡¯s eyes, bearing its head to the ground with a resounding thud. The only being left unfazed at such a jaw-dropping spectacle landed softly, carried to the ground in a wraith-like fashion.


    ¡°...¡¯speak for me¡¯, my voice is too quiet.¡±


    The humans watched in silence despite their palpable impatience, save for a few stray shots from some terrified grunts. Jack, one who was barely considered an adult by society, speak with a hint of frustration to a now obedient Leviathan, and not one soul considered it wise to interrupt.


    No monster roared in defiance of the boy, not even their defeated King. Charles White stood in place as a slight smile began edging its way across his smooth cheek, and genuine hope ignited his eyes for the first time in many years. Unlike so many others -in their right mind that is-, the wraith waited with excitement.


    The inaudible flow of words ended abruptly, and Jack stepped away from the stirring sapphire Leviathan.


    ¡°This¡­ is Master; Jack.¡±


    The creature lifted its head almost thoughtfully, speaking in a clear, but unshakably powerful voice that did not disappoint the audience.


    ¡°He claims... Earth. Any who oppose, fight Master. Others... may go home.¡±


    Nothing moved. The declaration was met with a sheet of dumbfounded expressions layered on the ocean of statue-like frames. Well, at least on the humans'' side.


    Monsters of various sizes and builds seemed to become excited at the thought of a one-on-one duel for the world, and were looking expectantly at their idolized leaders. However, none of these intimidating figures stepped forward to accept such an impossible challenge. Fortunately for the disappointed underclass, the human leaders were far less wise in their next actions.


    "Jack, was it?!"


    A demeaning way to address the dark-haired dominator of this world sounded, though it didn''t come off as intended through the device the speaker used. Rather, it was more awkward than anything else.


    "Don''t forget, we have a¡­ "clean up" option at our disposal! This world belongs to us, not them, and definitely not y-auk!?"


    Deep red flames danced across the textured field, bringing Jack''s dark frame mere inches away from the challenger. Naturally,the wind that would normally accompany such a rapid approach was negated by the towering boy''s magic, leaving the shorter man wondering if the creature before him was even real. This question went unanswered... for about half a second.


    "Do you oppose?"


    Jack''s presence overwhelmed the human, who began to shiver and glance around nervously at the gradually retreating soldiers that were supposed to protect him.


    "I''m not going to ask again. Do you oppose?"


    Two nearly frantic eyes caught a brief glimpse of some distant object reflecting the sun, and calmed. His victory had finally arrived. Turning to face Jack with unearned confidence, the short man spoke.


    "You think some...thing like you could possibly take on EVERYONE?! A nuclear strike might snap you back to reality! If you kill me, or do anything I don''t like, I''ll end you and everyone else! So yes- yes I DO oppose you! What do you think of th-"


    His voice consumed in crimson fire, the shorter man was instantly reduced to dust. However, the nearby soldiers felt absolutely no heat, and the grass where the short man''s remains fell was left undisturbed. Jack turned, looking toward the barely perceivable glint on the horizon, narrowing his gaze in frustration.


    (How predictable. Blow''em up with magic!)


    ''No, I don''t think so. Let''s try something else.''


    A slight smile appeared on the boy''s otherwise serious face at the excitable goddess, and her insatiable desire for action. Jack turned, sending a sideways glance toward the distant Leviathan, then faced the oncoming aircraft. Just as he''d hoped, the looming figure understood the implied command, and obeyed without question or delay.


    Opening its maw, the sapphire serpent spat a streak of deep blue fire. All eyes watched the flames collide with and evaporate the jet and its terrifying cargo almost instantly, though not without sound. The heat could be felt by all the humans below this time, prompting several surprised shouts and an almost uniform retraction from the flame-split sky.


    ''Human, cower among humans.''


    Jack remembered the beast''s words, and looked away. No need to press such a thought any further.


    (Aw, no explosion¡­ still badass though.)


    The light faded, and the late morning sky returned to normal. The Earth, however, could never be the same again. Jack had just dominated the world almost on a whim, and not a single creature dared to challenge him after witnessing the power he wields.


    "This world¡­ belongs to Master! Step forward¡­ and feel his wrath!"

 Chapter 26: Terra part 2

    Jack painfully rolled into a sitting position, clutching his head to sooth the throbbing brain within. Trying to become aware of the surrounding area, he opened one eye and glanced around warily. Then again in confusion. The dark-eyed boy¡¯s other eye flicked open, but only for an instant before a wave of nausea overwhelmed his senses and he was forced to pause momentarily to regain control.


    From what Jack had seen, the surrounding room was very well-furnished and expertly decorated. Though each object was barely more than a blob of colors and textures, he still found it comfortable and peaceful. The boy reclined, inhaling deeply as his thoughts began to clear. He was certain that memories would come if his mind just had a moment to-


    (Don¡¯t go back to sleep, dammit!)


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    A frustrated shout rang throughout the recovering demigod¡¯s mind, nearly causing him to flip out of the soft bed and onto a far less welcoming floor.


    (You don¡¯t get to sleep! You almost exhausted yourself to death right after a major magical upgrade thingy, so you can rest, but don¡¯t you dare sleep!)


    ¡°Please stop yelling¡­¡±


    Jack¡¯s reply was barely intelligible as his hand drunkenly waved back and forth to fend off the pissed spirit¡¯s voice. Fortunately, his request was heard, and Ellis calmed down.


    (I-I thought¡­ I was going t-to lose you¡­ I thought we were going to die while you were asleep.)


    The boy peeked through his stupor, just barely able to make out the goddess¡¯s slender frame hugging tightly against him. Her body made an indent in the silky blue covers, though just barely enough to notice. With every improvement, Ellis¡¯s being would solidify even more. Jack already knew this, but it was still nice to see the actual results and know that she was not beyond saving.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡±


    Fae¡¯s confident voice hummed from a nearby doorway, though something about this tone made the boy uncomfortable. Jack¡¯s mind instantly jumped to Jenny and Val, causing his heart to beat heavily and nearly drag him out of bed on its own.


    (Take it easy, Jack. The others are on the ship too. Everything¡¯s fine now¡­ you saved everyone.)


    His muscles relaxed and the stress he¡¯d felt so intensely finally melted away. The chaotic thoughts spinning through the dark-eyed boy¡¯s head gradually began to submit to his external senses, and he could once again feel the magic¡¯s flow. Based on what Ellis said, they were most likely on Fae¡¯s ship, unless someone else was secretly hiding a spaceship.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯ll bet Val could build one. Then again, Jenny always acted like she was from another world¡­ at this point it¡¯s anyone guess.¡¯


    Jack thought to himself, chuckling silently at his own dry sense of humor. After this, it barely took a minute before Jack was sitting upright on the bed, fully clothed in a magically synthesized pair of jeans and light black jacket. He scanned the room¡¯s various structures, finding it to be both aesthetically pleasing and a practical use of space. Chairs, dressers, and even a kitchenette made it seem more like an apartment than a guest room.


    ¡°She¡¯s right. Claiming Terra? In any other circumstance, that would¡¯ve been extreme overkill but because it was either that or a planet-wide suicide, I think you made a good decision. Well done, you¡¯ve ethically dominated your world. Well, semi-ethically, which is still impressive.¡±


    (That¡¯s because Jack listens to me. I¡¯m the backseat driver of this demigod!)


    Jack paused, following the cat-alien¡¯s eyes to Ellis, then back again in confusion. It would seem the love goddess has gained enough power to be seen and interact with others. The boy almost laughed at her factually enhanced retelling of his thoughts during the fight down on Earth, feeling lighter than air now that nothing was left to trouble him.


    (I can still hear your thoughts, moron. ¡®Your problems aren¡¯t gone; they¡¯ve only been redirected¡¯ according to those adorable widdle cat ears over there.)


    He looked over at Fae, who shifted uncomfortably at the goddess¡¯s words and the gestures accompanying them. That girl¡¯s ability to make anyone uncomfortable really is a gift. Jack placed his hand on the mattress, softly pushing against the smooth sheets as he easily assumed his full height. The aspiring god stretched, enjoying the rare moment of silence before once again preparing to face the storm ahead.


    Jack¡¯s advanced cognitive abilities allow him to process events with greater efficiently and almost eliminate the time required to move past such stressful events. Normally, he would have to hide away for a couple of days after draining experiences like the past few weeks but right now the boy felt ready to take on whatever problem arose.


    ¡°I was contacted by Jerle, a data analyst for a powerful Megalo ruler, who informed me that I have been fired. The monarch witnessed your power and has decided to come after you himself. I thought it was only fair to warn you... I-I can offer transportation, but I doubt you¡¯ll elude him for very long.¡±


    Jack paused, silently weighing his options for a moment before responding.


    ¡°I assume negotiation is off the table.¡±


    Fae nodded slowly.


    ¡°¡­and running away would only put you, Val, and Jenny in more danger¡­¡±


    The cat-person gave no response, answering his question with silence. Jack sighed and shook his head.


    ¡°Then meeting him in person would seem to be the most reasonable option¡­¡±


    Jack stepped towards Fae, who adopted a bewildered expression and shook her head to signify disapproval.


    ¡°You know he¡¯ll-¡°


    ¡°-He sent you to collect my arm, right?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    The boy interrupted, displaying a softly pulsating limb. The air seemed to warp around its surface, subject to the powerful magic it conducted. Nothing else in the entire universe had both magical and mechanical abilities mixed together, making Jack¡¯s left arm priceless.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find some way to take it off and give it to him. Val¡¯s the one who made it, so she might have some ideas. I do feel bad about ditching something she gave me, though¡­¡±


    The alien stared with saucer-sized eyes as the creature before her thoughtfully rubbed the wrist of his artificial appendage. He talked about the arm as if it was nothing but a small trinket he carried around for good luck and barely resisted the thought of abandoning it. Unfortunately, Fae had already tried to remove it and discovered that the machine had already become a part of his being. Removing it would be no different from a surgical procedure.


    The demigod noticed the cat-woman¡¯s frozen expression, then smiled reassuringly.


    ¡°If it¡¯s really stuck, we can probably just cut it off at the elbow. That should keep most of the vital pieces together.¡±


    Fae¡¯s expression softened, her argument half-defeated by the lighthearted comments, but not entirely gone. Jack¡¯s overall demeanor was different, though he didn¡¯t exactly change. His strength had become almost passive; a natural ability instead of some bestowed power that could only be summoned with conscious effort. She found it¡­ charming. The alien paused at this revelation, then promptly blinked away the distracting thoughts to resume her protest.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to die if you won¡¯t stand up for yourself. I can¡¯t even begin to describe how dangerous some of these beings are, and now that you have something they want¡­¡±


    Fae trailed off, realizing from Jack¡¯s expression that further explanation would be unnecessary and possibly even counterproductive. She sighed, leaning heavily on the sturdy doorframe as if trying to rephrase her words to better convey the situation¡¯s urgency. It didn¡¯t take very long.


    ¡°I¡¯m not just talking about your arm.¡±


    The woman looked over at Ellis, who¡¯d lost interest in the conversation a while ago and was currently playing around with a fine thread of magic. The demigod looked over, momentarily distracted by the goddess¡¯s new ability.


    A few seconds passed before Jack returned to his senses and replied, once again studying the appendage¡¯s believable surface.


    ¡°This is just an arm. It may not be preferable, but I can live without it.¡±


    He looked up, allowing a different expression to soften his dark eyes as they settled on the goddess who was meticulously trying to weave a magic cloth.


    ¡°Some things aren¡¯t worth fighting over. I¡¯m sure you understand that my life isn¡¯t the only one risked in these confrontations, so I won¡¯t delve into a pointless monologue. I¡¯m sure Val would be fine with making another arm, or perhaps I¡¯ll just grow a new one myself.¡±


    Jack chuckled and glanced back at Fae, but the humorless eyes she bore cut his laughter short. He briefly second-guessed his own regenerative abilities, realizing that such a feat was likely within his grasp.


    Fae mumbled inaudibly, then pushed off the doorframe to assume a less comfortable upright position. A black tail carried the hem of her deep blue cloth skirt as it waved independently behind the two black ears and long dark hair which shifted with every slight movement. Two beautiful purple orbs caught the soft light, glancing with a barely perceptible emotional glaze toward the boy who had so thoroughly captured their attention. With a notable amount of effort, she turned away and swiftly exited the room.


    ¡°That was a bad joke¡­¡±


    A rueful curve briefly appeared in Jack¡¯s smile but vanished when a pillow was hurled with significant force at his face. The collision was entirely unexpected, and the sheer amount of power behind it would¡¯ve probably killed a normal human being.


    (Hu hu hu¡­ I can throw pillows at Jack now.)


    Ellis¡¯s voice was overflowing with mischief as the dark-eyed humanoid looked back, amused and worried that such an easily avoidable attack landed. However, he was prepared when the second puffy object came, this time moving so fast it exploded mid-air and showered him with some unrecognizable pink fluff.


    A goddess stood behind the disintegrating wall of pillow entrails, acting as if she was unaware of the current situation. Although, an incriminating rope of light pink magic explored the area, flipping the covers repeatedly as Ellis masterfully controlled its movements with her mind. Jack was impressed at how easily she applied such complex movements. He paused, again realizing that her magic doesn¡¯t belong to him. This was a gift that came with a great cost.


    A king-sized mattress exploded on the demigod¡¯s frontside, pulling him out of his musings.


    (Stop brooding! I¡¯m running out of things to throw!)


    Jack smiled, brushing a few stray bits of unrecognizable material from his shoulder and glancing back at a dark grey wall which had been nearly beaten through. If he¡¯d decided to dodge the mattress, it would¡¯ve most likely made a hole larger than himself. He returned his gaze to a wide-eyed goddess who was just noticing the damaged room.


    (Oops.)


    ¡°No kidding.¡±


    An all-too familiar voice responded to Ellis¡¯s embarrassed cry as Jenny appeared in the doorway, her sapphire-blue eyes more brilliant than ever. Val trailed along behind her, examining the damaged structure with a neutral gaze before looking suspiciously towards the goddess, who responded with a nervous laugh.


    (I¡­ um¡­)


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m sure Fae won¡¯t care. I¡¯ll help clean up the mess later.¡±


    Jack spoke, casually reassuring Ellis while Jenny¡¯s expression gradually changed, adopting a more threatening appearance. The boy leaned back slightly, habitually assuming a less relaxed position as the tension increased rapidly.


    ¡°How sweet; you two are already familiar. Although, I don¡¯t believe Jack has introduced us yet.¡±


    Her words alone seemed to be directed towards Ellis, but Jenny¡¯s eyes never once left Jack. The boy exhaled, gratefully accepting the escape she offered while nervously looking back at the goddess but froze upon recognizing the situation. He saw two concerningly defiant orbs burning straight past him, challenging the human¡¯s inescapable blue eyes.


    Jack tried to back slowly away, but Jenny stepped forward, wrapping her arms around his torso and restricted any evasive movements. Ellis was suddenly flustered, glancing around in a desperate attempt to one-up her enemy in this ¡®social duel¡¯, though she didn¡¯t have much to work with. He decided it was probably better to let this event run its course.


    (Jack said he¡¯d mate with me when I manifest.)


    Jack decided it was probably better to escape before this event runs its course. Unfortunately, Jenny¡¯s grip tightened, her eyes now directed towards him in response to Ellis¡¯s words. A malicious smile curved the girl¡¯s lips as her thoughts ignited with various befitting reactions, then pressed her cheek tightly against his shoulder and let out a calm sigh. The surprised boy had braced for a charming rant cleverly laced with psychological torture and passive-aggressive references but received a mature dismissal. At this rate he might be able to give context to the situation, though such a conversation would likely do more harm than good.


    Relaxed, Jack lifted his free arm and gently brushed the silent girl¡¯s soft brown hair, remembering yet again why he¡¯d fallen so completely for her.


    ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to take his virginity before you manifest, then.¡±


    The air became like ice in which even sound was frozen. While Jack¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, his hand retracted with no small amount of discomfort. This was the reaction he¡¯d expected to hear, but the boy still had no idea what to do in response. Despite his feelings, Jenny didn¡¯t advance or retreat, acting as if nothing had changed but the demigod ventured to guess she bore a sadistic expression.


    A slightly shorter hand caught his idle left arm as Val curiously scanned the artificial appendage, clearly oblivious to her surroundings. Silence persisted, but the silver-haired girl payed it no mind and simply continued to work as if lost in her own separate reality for several minutes.


    Jack stood, patiently awaiting any change in topic or explosion to set him free until a faint rumble caught his attention. It was different than the consistent hum that softly radiated from the ship¡¯s engines, which was fairly concerning. The boy shifted, prompting Jenny to lift her head with a questioning gaze.


    (Hey¡­ Jack?)


    Jack turned towards Ellis, who smiled nervously as the sound of warping metal and shattering glass became gradually more distinct.


    (Do you remember when I told you about the angel?)