《Black Feather》 0a Enter: Crow Tsukimura Enter: Crow Tsukimura The story begins with a sixteen year old boy walking down a street much like any other. He wore a black, hooded, long sleeve cloak that had tattered ends that stopped just above his ankles. The cloak had a crimson trim that popped out from its black color. On its sleeves, it had one red line going from the end of each sleeve to the shoulders before branching off to the front and back of the cloak. The boy wore its hood over his head, covering his midnight black hair that faded to moon gray. Underneath his cloak, he wore a dark gray long sleeve that was tied toward the collar of his shirt, lacing over itself three times before the strings simply hung down his chest. He also wore a pair of light gray pants with black shoes. A black and red katana hilt poked through the from the left side of his cloak as well. The boy¡¯s moonlight silver eyes didn¡¯t look at anybody around him as he moved through the crowd of people, too busying thinking to pay them any attention. His name, short and simple, was Crow Tsukimura. Even though Crow didn¡¯t stand out too much, a small group of five thugs stepped in his path. The one in the middle smirked deviously and he wore a bandana tied around his head, standing his hair up straight. The rest all had bandanas covering the lower halves of their faces, but it was easy to tell that their smirks matched with that of the thug in the middle. They all even wore baggy, bleach pants with a white tank tops and beige boots. Three of them had swords, one with a sword on his right hip, another with a sword on his left hip, and the other with one katana on each hip. The other two had daggers clenched in their hands. Citizens watched helplessly as they all feared that they or their families would be put in danger if they got involved. ¡°Damn it, I wish they would¡¯ve just let me pass¡­¡± he said as he looked around. With that, Crow cut through the alley to his left and got to a different street before continuing in the direction he was originally going.
Eventually, Crow reached a small tavern. As he went up the steps, two men came tumbling out through the swinging doors. They were fighting, so Crow simply strolled around them with an uninterested expression on his face. He sat down at the bar with his hood casting a darker shadow over his face now that he was inside. The bartender moved over to him while cleaning a glass. He had short black hair that stood up and dark brown eyes. He wore a white long sleeve with khakis and brown boating shoes. He also had a scruffy beard going along his chin and the upper part of his neck. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little young to be in a place like this?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m not here to drink. I¡¯m just here to ask you a couple of questions.¡± Crow answered. ¡°Well, alright, if that¡¯s all.¡± the bartender replied. ¡°For starters,¡± the boy started while holding out his index finger and middle finger on his right hand, leaving a space as if he was holding something in between them. Then, a crimson manifestation formed out of nowhere and burned in the space between his fingers. After a quick second, the burning started to fade and a photo had formed. It was a picture of a man and a woman. The woman was incredibly beautiful with pretty, braided hair that faded from midnight black to soft, light gray. She also had eyes as silver as the Moon. She wore a simply black dress that was somehow as elegant as the smile on her face.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. The man was tall and, even though he was in an all black suit, it was clear that he was well built. His hair was midnight black and faded to a moonlight gray as it spiked up and forward just a bit at the front of his head. ¡°Do you recognize these two?¡± Crow asked. The man took a closer look at it before backing up. ¡°K-Kid, I dunno what you¡¯re doing with a picture of them, but it¡¯s gonna cause you some problems around here.¡± the bartender said, the fear clearly in his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes. Now, why would it cause me issues?¡± he asked. ¡°Because, the Purple Cobras didn¡¯t like the girl¡­ and they run this town.¡± the man said as lowly as possible. Crow¡¯s eyes narrowed immediately. He stood up and left the bar, causing the bartender to sigh in relief. Crow walked with a glare on his face as he approached the two men who were still fighting. He pushed his way between them, too focused on other things to care about their fight. ¡®The Purple Cobras¡­ I will find their base and make them tell me what I wanna know.¡¯ he declared mentally.
Night had fallen over the town. Then full moon lit the cloudless and starry night along with the town below. Crow looked down at a warehouse from the top of a large building a small distance away. The moon behind him gave him the same black, shadowy appearance he¡¯d had earlier that day. Peering through the line of windows along the warehouse, Crow watched as a few of the Purple Cobras moved through the warehouse. Then, with a flash, the Moon as well as Crow¡¯s eyes and the trim of his cloak were glowing an ominous blood red. ¡°Boss, how¡¯re we gonna get back at that punk from earlier?¡± one thug asked. Inside of the warehouse, tens of Purple Cobras were gathered. Their leader, the one who had grabbed the katana from Crow, was clearly frustrated and thinking of an answer. ¡°He¡¯s still gotta be in this town! We¡¯ll ransack this place till we find¡¯im! That¡¯s what we¡¯ll do!¡± the leader exclaimed. His lackies cheered along with him, but their cheering was quickly interrupted by feathers gently falling from the shadowy ceiling above. ¡°Feathers? The hell?¡± he said. Then, a black and red streak drove through several of the Purple Cobras to the leader¡¯s right. All of them fell to the ground, bleeding in pain as the blur curved around to its left and slashed through body after body. A group of them stood in front of Crow as he slid to a stop, feathers trailing behind him. Without hesitation, Crow drove through them while being surrounded by a red Aura, stabbing through those that his Aura didn¡¯t send flying. Within a few seconds, Crow crashed a few people on his sword into the wall across the warehouse. The rest of the group prepared to fight as Crow slightly turned to them while ripping his katana from their bodies ¡°CHARGE!!¡± one of them screamed. All of them mobbed toward Crow with swords, knives, and pipes raised above their heads. Crow held his katana above his head, both hands clenched tightly on its handle as he prepared to attack. The same Aura that surrounded Crow just moments ago ran rampant throughout the room, sending some flying, lifting a few into the air, and even slicing others as it tore the ground apart. ¡°Moon Scar.¡± Crow chanted. Then, he slashed the katana through the air. A blood red blade sliced through the air and crashed into the group of thugs in front of Crow. As soon as it hit, there was a slight pause before a scarlet explosion erupted and leveled the building. The leader of the gang was laid out and clearly injured, which was shown by the blood leaking from the left side of his head and from his mouth.. He looked in Crow¡¯s direction and became frightened once he saw Crow¡¯s red eyes piercing through the smoke. Then, his memories finally allowed him to recognize who the boy before him was. ¡°W-Wait¡­ Those blood red eyes¡­ Y-You¡¯re a¡­ A¡­¡± he tried as Crow approached. ¡°You¡¯re a Tsukimura!!¡± he finally announced as tears came to his eyes. ¡°You and I have some things to talk about.¡± Crow said as he grew closer to the thug. ¡°No¡­ Please! Wait! No!!¡± the leader cried as Crow reached out for him. END. 0b Enter: Rashel Anderson Enter: Rashel Anderson It was another morning, the clouds partially blocking the rays of the Sun above. The sunlight was also shut out by the trees of a dense forest. Underneath one of those many trees, a single girl slept peacefully. Her blonde hair was messy and had leaves tangled within its golden strands. She slept under a dirty, extremely dark green blanket that was popped with holes and so filthy it hardly looked green. Suddenly, the girl¡¯s sea blue eyes burst open. She looked around, clearly tense and sensing danger was close. Then, an arrow shot toward her from the thick of the woods. Upon seeing the arrow, the girl turned her body while leaning back, letting the arrow whiz past her and drive itself into the tree. Without any hesitation, she scrambled to her feet and bolted through the wilderness to her right. She weaved through the trees around her as a pack of women followed her. She glanced behind her and saw a group of five wearing bronze armor. From their helmets to their chest plates and skirts, every piece was bronze and shining. They all wore boots made of animal skin that had fur cuffs. Two of them had wooden bows and wooden arrows tipped with sharp, stone arrowheads, but the other three had sharp, steel swords. Unlike the five women chasing her, this girl wore a grimy, blue v-neck sweater. She also wore a pair of black jeans, but they were torn at the knees and had tattered ends. The only similarity between her and her pursuers was that she wore the same boots as them. Her name was Rashel and she was sixteen years old. Rashel sprinted as fast as she could, weaving around trees as arrows flew toward her. Suddenly, two more women jumped out of the woods in front of Rashel. She quickly reacted by sliding underneath the woman in front of her. Because the armor clad woman was woman was mid-lunge, Rashel was able to kick her in her stomach and launch her in an arc. Using the momentum she still had, Rashel somersaulted forward and put her hands against the cold ground. Once she could, she sprung off of her hands and over the second woman lunging at her. With her feet on the woman¡¯s back, Rashel jumped off of her, pushing the warrior against the dirt while propelling herself forward. Rashel continued running through the woods until she reached a large, clear field. ¡®Shit!¡¯ she thought, knowing she no longer had any cover from arrows or any other projectile. Needing to see how much distance she¡¯d put between her and the pack behind her, she looked back once again. To her surprise, another arrow shot past her, just barely missing her eye as she watched it go by. She¡¯d noticed something else off to her right, approaching quickly. She looked and saw it was another warrior with an arrow pulled back and ready to fire. The woman shot her arrow at Rashel, causing her to instinctively turn. As she turned, Rashel extended her left hand as a cobalt, wavy trail followed it. The cyan color around her hand burst open as the arrow touched it, causing a small explosion. Smoke shrouded the area, but rather than running, Rashel felt her instincts telling her to fight, sensing the surge of power inside of her. An azure Aura surrounded her as she glared in the direction of her attackers. The fleet quickly rushed through the smoke with their weapons in hand. Knowing that she had to retreat for that moment, Rashel jumped back, but unlike a regular jump, she leapt above the trees. Not noticing this right away, she extended her hands and fired a big, sapphire blast of energy at her attackers. The surrounding area became painted the same shade as the blast quickly shot toward the warriors. Then, with another, bigger explosion, a giant cloud of smoke with glowing blue patches burst into the sky. Rashel looked and saw that her opponents were all lying on the ground, unconscious or unable to move, or so she thought. As she scanned them, one of them at the very left end of the pack threw a knife at Rashel. Not seeing it until the last second, Rashel was stabbed in her left leg and cried out in pain. Rashel quickly shot away, soaring through the air as she concentrated on her bleeding leg. That was when she realized that she was flying. For a few seconds, she freaked out, not knowing anything about what she was doing. ¡°How do I stop?! What am I doing?! What am I doing?!?¡± she screamed in terror. Quickly, she began to take deep breaths. After she¡¯d calmed herself down, she simply focused on moving forward. As she continued flying, the pain in her leg began to sting badly. Because she was flying so fast, Rashel was now tens of miles away from the site of her attack and could see signs of a town off to her left. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s see what happens when I do this¡­¡± Rashel said aloud. With that, she tilted herself to her left, which made her curve in correspondence. That was when she noticed that she was starting to grow closer to the ground and the small patch of woods around the town. Rashel screamed as she unwillingly crashed into the trees, which made her tumble to a stop on the ground. As she heaved in pain, she forced herself onto her feet and started limping toward the town, cut and bruised even more from the fall.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
Once she was in the town, she sat and rested against the right wall nearest building. It was a small house with gray bricks and a dark brown roof. It had two windows in the front and a sturdy wooden door. As she sat, she grabbed the hilt of the knife. She breathed heavily and tried to pull the knife out of her leg, but the pain was simply too great. Rashel lied on her right side, groaning as she tried her best to think through the pain. Then, a creaking noise caught her attention as she turned her head toward the front of the home. A brunette man wearing a white robe with a brown sash around his waist stepped on the brick road and looked around. He saw nothing in front of him, nothing to his right, but then his brown eyes widened in concern once he saw the teenage girl lying on the ground and bleeding. ¡°Good God!¡± he exclaimed as he rushed toward her. Seeing that he was approaching her, Rashel tried to back away, but her leg was too injured and she was far too exhausted to do much. ¡°Come here, let me see.¡± he said, bending his fingers toward him as he looked at her leg. Knowing there was no possible way to hide the stab wound, let alone the knife, Rashel let him see her left leg. ¡°You need immediate medical attention!¡± the man said, obviously worried and thinking of what to do. ¡°Quickly, we have to get you inside. Come on, I¡¯m a doctor, so I¡¯m obligated to help you.¡± he informed. Rashel tried to back away again. ¡°I don¡¯t need a man¡¯s help¡­¡± Rashel replied. ¡°Actually, you do. I¡¯d say you¡¯re about an hour, an hour and a half, away from death, so whatever act you¡¯re putting on needs to stop.¡± he responded, the seriousness in his tone and in his eyes. Rashel looked off to her left stubbornly. ¡°Besides, a human is a human, and all humans should help and accept each other regardless of any circumstance.¡± he said. Rashel¡¯s eyes widened in surprise after hearing his words. Without wasting another moment, he picked Rashel up off the ground, his left arm under her knees and his right one under her back. Quickly, yet with the utmost caution and care, he carried Rashel into his house and up to the second floor. Without a second thought, he set her on his bed and rushed away. Once he returned, he had a briefcase and other medical supplies. Just as he got ready to operate, he was overcome with amazement as he watched Rashel¡¯s cuts and bruises heal. Unable to comprehend what he just saw, he dropped his supplies with his mouth opened. Even Rashel looked at herself in pure disbelief. ¡°Did you just¡­?¡± he tried. ¡°I just¡­¡± Rashel started. Both of them looked at each other, on the same level of confusion and amazement. Rashel went to get up, wanting to see if she was completely better, but her exhaustion wasn¡¯t gone and the pain was still there. Reacting to her falling forward, the doctor caught her and had her lie back down. ¡°You need to rest. I don¡¯t know who you are, where you¡¯re from, or what in the hell just happened, but if you need to you can stay here until you feel better.¡± he offered. Rashel quickly considered her options. ¡®I am being hunted, but they shouldn¡¯t be able to find me. I should be able to relax now¡­ But I don¡¯t trust this doctor¡­ But he was extremely kind just now¡­ Maybe I should trust him. Besides, this new power of mine is enough to help me with anybody who tries to hurt me.¡¯ Rashel considered. ¡°Thank you. I accept your offer, Mister¡­ Mister¡­?¡± Rashel tried. ¡°Anderson. Mister Richard Anderson, or Doctor Anderson, whichever you prefer.¡± the doctor informed. Rashel nodded and gave him her name with a smile.
Over the next few months, Rashel recovered at Doctor Anderson¡¯s house and the two of them formed a strong bond in their short time together. Within her time there, Rashel got word of a nearby school called Slayer Academy West that had a sole purpose of teaching its students how to control their Aura.
On her last day, Rashel stood outside of Doctor Anderson¡¯s house. She wore a blue jacket that had straps that crossed over her chest in an X-like shape and latched to rings. Under her jacket, she wore a white shirt that left her stomach partially exposed. She also wore black shorts as well as black and blue boots that reached halfway up her thighs. Her hair was no longer a mess. She¡¯d combed it neatly and let it cover her left eye because she thought it looked nice. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality.¡± Rashel said with a slight bow forward. ¡°Think nothing of it.¡± Doctor Anderson replied. With that, Rashel began to walk away until Doctor Anderson called her name. She turned and faced him which led to her getting hugged by him. ¡°Promise you¡¯ll visit when you can?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course. I do consider myself an Anderson, after all.¡± she answered with a smile as she hugged him back. Then, Doctor Anderson stepped back, but kept his hands resting on her shoulders as he smiled. ¡°Do well. I¡¯m sure you will regardless.¡± he said. Rashel nodded, promising him she¡¯d do her absolute best. With that, the two of them parted from each other. Rashel walked backward while waving to him and he waved goodbye back. After she¡¯d entered the woods, Rashel smiled, happy that she¡¯d gone from running in the woods to heading toward a school, unknowing of the fate that awaited her. END. 0c Enter: Keith Marx Enter: Keith Marx It was another day in Mapleville. The Sun was shining down brightly in the sky, warming the day to a good temperature. The gentle breeze of the wind cooled the day just enough, and most would¡¯ve considered it the perfect day. The town was busy as usual, but something about the people bustling through the streets was different. Instead of flowing with and against each other, all of them were running together in the same direction. All of the people were sprinting away from something. Amongst them was a boy destined for special things in his life. This boy had wild, spiky blonde hair and light brown eyes. His name was Keith Marx. On that day, Keith wore a black, military-style jacket that reached just past his waist. Underneath that, he wore a plain yellow shirt that wrinkled onto itself as it reached his blue jeans. Finally, on his feet, Keith wore a pair of black boots. Of course, Keith was running in fear like everybody else and he occasionally glanced back at the beast behind him. They were all fleeing from the monstrosity known as a Wildebeest. The Wildebeest hunting the citizens was classified as Gamma Level Leon, which was considered to be one of the weaker ones. However, even at only half the size of a full grown Leon, it was too much for a weaponless crowd. It was pitch black with gray markings flowing from its paws, up its legs, over its shoulders, down its back, and to its tail. There were also small, white spikes poking out at the beast¡¯s joints. Its mane was gray as well. Furthermore, it had a black tear-like object in the middle of its chest that was surrounded by a circular patch of gray fur.
A Wildebeest is a human transformed into a monster. They are the result of what happens when a human¡¯s soul becomes too corrupt with sin, mutating their mind, body, and soul until they are nothing more than a bloodthirsty monster. There are five different classes for a Wildebeest; Omega, Gamma, Delta, Beta, and Alpha. Omega is considered the lowest class while Alpha is regarded as the deadliest.
While everybody continued to rush away, the beast¡¯s blood colored eyes scanned the crowd in front of it as it prepared to lunge, snarling as it picked out its prey. Keith, seeing this, split from the crowd, branching from them to the street through an alley on his left. Other citizens had gotten the same idea and moved to the streets at their sides. Noticing this, the Leon crashed through a building, sliding to a stop as its growl turned to a roar. ¡®Just my luck!¡¯ Keith thought as he kept moving. Keith weaved back to the main street and the Wildebeest charged past him, focused more on the group that was running from it. Halfway through the alley, Keith was stopped by a feeling that he just couldn¡¯t explain. ¡®I-I should keep running¡­ I shouldn¡¯t go back¡­ I shouldn¡¯t, but¡­¡¯ he argued with himself as his left hand shut into a fist. Instead of continuing down the alley, Keith turned and sprinted around the corner after the Leon.
Just as Keith rounded the corner, he saw the beast crash through another building. Its claws scratched the street as it slid and the sparks it caused lit the remains of the wooden building it came through. By the time the building had ignited, Keith was already running toward it. With no time to act, Keith crossed his arms in front of him and sprinted forward. He slid out the other side of the building, small flicks of flame disbursing as he stopped. He peaked over his arms and his eyes widened tensely. In front of him, the Leon was growling at a little girl as people scattered into alleyways. ¡°Mommy¡­! Daddy¡­!¡± she sobbed as a brown teddy bear dangled in her left hand while she wiped her right eye with her right hand. The Leon raised its left paw into the air as the girl continued to cry for her parents. Keith growled in frustration as something formed around him. Then, two lightning bolts sparked from his eyes and met in the middle. The Leon swatted at the girl and was confused as a lightning bolt cracked where the girl was. It looked to its left and saw Keith with the girl in his arms. Electricity slowly crackled out from around Keith¡¯s body and smoke was coming from his shoes as he knelt down to set the girl on her feet. Even the girl was clearly surprised as she stared past Keith¡¯s shoulder for a brief moment before her gaze turned to him. ¡°Go find your parents.¡± Keith said gently with a soft smile. The girl nodded and ran into the closest alley. Once he saw the girl was safe in the crowd, Keith sighed, but not in relief. He had a slightly sad look on his face as his now yellow eyes looked at the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t understand you Wildebeests. What did we ever do to you? The hell do you want from us? Whatever¡­ Now,¡± he started. Then, lightning began to spark wildly around him again, flowing toward his back as he turned and glared at the Wildebeest. ¡°You get yours!!¡± Keith growled. Then, he pushed off of the ground and the street beneath him cracked while some pieces spiked upwards. Once he was in range, he punched the Wildebeest and made it slide a few yards down the street. ¡®It¡¯s weird¡­ This power I feel is crazy. My whole body feels supercharged. With this strength, I can move at extreme speeds. And this lightning¡­ It feels like I¡¯m moving as fast as it. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I won¡¯t waste it!¡¯ Keith thought, looking from his sparking hands, to the lightning around him, and finally at the Wildebeest.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Keith leaned forward, slowly, as the Leon prepared to lunge. Then, as it pounced toward him, Keith bolted forward. Mid-lunge, Keith punched it into the ground and caused it to bounce back upward. With that, Keith¡¯s left leg sparked intensely with lightning as he brought his limb up against the monster¡¯s spine. As soon as Keith kicked the beast, it shot upward with a strong booming sound. Sensing his limit was approaching fast, Keith sparked into the air after the Wildebeest. He concentrated all of his power to his left fist as he twisted his body so his left side was facing the cloud. The lightning around Keith¡¯s fist reached into the clouds, turning them dark gray as patches of yellow flashed wildly. Finally, a big bolt struck Keith and added to the electricity around his fist. As soon as he was able to, he punched downward on the Wildebeest¡¯s chest. The conflicting momentums made the Wildebeest stretch forward as Keith put all of his energy against it. With another boom, the Leon crashed into the ground, traveling in a yellow, sky-cracking bolt. Keith landed on the ground next to the Wildebeest¡¯s crater and watched as it slowly turned to a black liquid that seeped into the Earth. Within the next instant, Keith felt the exhaustion from the fight and lost consciousness, falling forward to the ground
Keith woke up in his bed back at his house. His room was white with a small bed blanketed with light blue covers. He sat up, holding his head in pain as the rest of his body began to hurt. Reluctantly, he forced himself to his feet and staggered out of his room. Immediately, he walked down the hallway and knocked on the second door on his left. ¡°Come in¡­¡± a voice called weakly. With permission, Keith opened the door. He smiled as he looked at a woman who was lying underneath a light blue blanket. She had long, blonde hair and light brown eyes. Even though she was pale and sweating a tiny bit, she managed to smile as Keith looked at her. ¡°Hey, Mom¡­¡± Keith greeted. ¡°Hey¡± yourself, little hero.¡± she replied. Then, she looked to her right, which had been blocked from Keith¡¯s view by the door. ¡°I¡¯ve been getting them all day.¡± his mother told as Keith looked at several bouquets of flowers resting on a black desk. One of the flowers had a teddy bear attached to it, which made Keith smile in relief. Then, Keith gasped in realization after his mother finished speaking. ¡°That¡¯s why you''re all sweaty and exhausted. Gosh, I¡¯m sorry, Mom. I didn¡¯t mean to-¡± Keith started, concern littered on his face and in his voice. ¡°Hey, hey, hey. Slow down there. I¡¯m just cold is all. Just because I¡¯m a little under the weather doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± she said, her smiling expanding. Knowing his mother, Keith sat down on her right, looking at the floor as he did. ¡°Look, Keith¡­ I know things haven¡¯t been very easy these last couple of years, but don¡¯t you go putting it all on yourself. I feel just the same as you do, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m going to let you go.¡± she said. ¡°You¡­ You mean¡­?¡± he tried. ¡°Yep. You can go to the Academy and become a Slayer.¡± she stated. ¡°But¡­ But, Mom-¡± Keith started as he looked up at her. ¡°Keith Jason Marx, don¡¯t you dare.¡± his mother sternly interrupted. Keith looked down at the bed, not sure how to feel about his wish coming true. ¡°Dear, you still have so much ahead of you. I¡¯ve already done a good amount of what I¡¯ve wanted. It just wouldn¡¯t be right for me to keep you here, so you can go. Go out and live Keith. Don¡¯t worry about me anymore. You¡¯ve already grown big and strong. You¡¯ve already made me proud.¡± she confessed from her heart. Keith¡¯s lips pressed together as his body shook a little. He took a breath as he tried to collect himself, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡°You¡­ Sometimes you just¡­ You are so cheesy!¡± Keith cried out as he wiped his eyes. His mother chuckled in amusement, finding her son cute. Then, she pulled him close and kissed his forehead. ¡°I love you, too. Now, go pack. I read that tryouts are soon.¡± she replied. Keith nodded with a sniffle. Then, he got up and walked out, leaving his mother alone with her smile, the flowers and a framed picture on her nightstand, sitting in front of her lamp. She looked at it from an angle, but the Sun¡¯s glare made it difficult to see the full family picture. ¡®God, he reminds me of you... He''s following in your footsteps perfectly. He really is our son, isn¡¯t he¡­?¡¯ she thought as she smiled fondly at the photo. END. 0d Enter: Adrian Jackson Enter: Adrian Jackson There was a boy walking around a town known as Oakton. He had dark brown hair that spiked out on the right side of his head, but didn¡¯t spike out as much on the left side. His light brown eyes gazed in front of him as he casually walked through the streets. Even though it was sunny and decently warm out, the boy wore a green sweater that had two white stripes just below the shirt¡¯s shoulders on each sleeve. He also wore a pair of black jeans that were slightly baggy. To add to his outfit, the boy also wore a pair of solid white shoes that had a few, hardly noticeable scuffs that he didn¡¯t mind. His name was Adrian Jackson and he was sixteen years old. Adrian was headed toward a newspaper stand, but he didn¡¯t pay it much attention. As always, he glanced at its cover image. At first, it didn¡¯t register, but once he realized it was something interesting, he took another look. It was an image of a raging fire and the title read ¡°Tragedy Strikes! Fire Burns Rosepark To Ashes!¡± As he walked, Adrian began to think about the recent things he¡¯d heard. ¡®Wow¡­ There¡¯s really been some stuff going on recently. First the Purple Cobras were all taken down in Cedar Tree, then a field catches on fire after people see some blue flash, next a boy saves his town, and now an entire town burns down. I¡¯ve been wandering from town to town for months and I can¡¯t say I remember a time like this¡­ Or anything else for that matter¡­¡¯ Adrian thought. Then, he heard something, something coming up from behind him and a fast pace. It was the sound of several sets of hooves galloping on the ground. Adrian turned and saw people get knocked over by a group of three horses. He quickly dove out of the way, barely avoiding the horses, but he never saw their faces. All he saw was their white jackets with gold trims that glimmered in the Sun. He could tell by their hair that one of them was a female and the other two were males. ¡°Who are they?¡± one woman asked. ¡°Bounty hunters? Maybe¡­ criminals?¡± one man suggested. ¡®Based off of what I just saw, criminals. Without a doubt, criminals.¡¯ Adrian thought as his eyes narrowed in the direction the horses galloped toward. Adrian picked himself up off of the ground and walked into an alley. He looked down at his right hand, unsure about his thoughts as his hand became shrouded in a green Aura that was like magic. ¡®I could use them again¡­ but the last time that happened¡­ The last time I used them I¡­ No¡­ I can¡¯t think about it.¡¯ he thought. With a shake of his head, Adrian walked to the other side of the alley and continued with his day.
Day in and day out, he thought about what he should do. The town was in slight distress and the town¡¯s new guests were to blame. They did whatever they pleased and the authorities would show up, but then leave like they¡¯d already been beaten before they could fight. Not only were those people causing chaos, knocking buildings down as they pleased or harming people, they were making citizens question the town¡¯s authority. ¡®I have to help them.¡¯ Adrian thought as he watched one of the women push a child to the ground like a ragdoll because he was in her way. A couple of days later, he watched one of the men punch a father right in front of his family. ¡®I have to help them!¡¯ he told himself. Then, the next day, he saw something that sent him over the edge. Rather than pushing a lone child or punching a father, the entire group was circled around a family. ¡°You¡¯d better learn to control your kid!¡± one woman with short, blonde hair and sky blue eyes said. She was the one who pushed the child. ¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t you teach him any respect, you filth?¡± a man with short black hair and black eyes asked. He was the one that punched a father. ¡°Listen up, you brats,¡± a man with slicked back white hair and crazy yellow eyes started as he leaned toward the kids. ¡°Stay out of our way or we¡¯ll set you up with a one way ticket to your maker!¡± he threatened. The mother quickly got in front of her children and then the father quickly got in front of his family. This made the man smirk in a twisted, demented amusement. ¡°Well, ain¡¯t that something?¡± he said. Then, he raised his right hand above his head. A small golden, light formed in his palm before expanding into a sphere that tinted the air. The people around were captivated by its magnificence, but they were also petrified by the man¡¯s power.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Hey,¡± a voice called as a shoulder gripped the man¡¯s left shoulder. He looked back and saw Adrian, standing there with a smile on his face and his left hand in his pocket. ¡°I¡¯d prefer you didn¡¯t.¡± Adrian stated. The man¡¯s eyes widened in rage before he turned and hit Adrian with the sphere. The people behind Adrian ducked and dove to avoid his body as it shot past them and into a building. ¡°You all see that?! That¡¯s what¡¯s gonna happen if any of you dare to defy us!!¡± the man shouted. ¡°Good shot. Real good shot, man.¡± Adrian called from the inside of the building. All three of them looked at the hole his body made. ¡®He actually did hurt me though. Maybe I should use it. Just this once, maybe?¡¯ he thought as he walked toward them. ¡°You¡­ You should be dead! How-¡± the man tried. ¡°Simple,¡± Adrian began. Then, a majestic, emerald Aura formed around him. ¡°You just ain¡¯t all that strong.¡± he bluffed. Adrian knew that man was in fact strong. He also knew that he could die if he were to get hit point-blank with an attack of the same magnitude. ¡°You runt! You think you can talk to us like that?!¡± the woman screamed. Then, she extended her arms and a golden sphere, just like the man had, formed at her palms. ¡°DIE!!¡± she cried before firing it at him. Adrian stood in place, watching as the sphere grew closer and closer. Then, it passed through him. No tricks, no illusions. It passed through him in a green glow where it would¡¯ve hit. The building behind him burst into a golden light, but even though he disliked it being destroyed, he knew he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. All three of them looked at him in disbelief and slight terror. ¡°N-No way¡­ No way that just phased through him!¡± the man with black hair shouted. ¡°It did. You aren¡¯t seeing things. Go on. Try again. I dare one of you bastards.¡± Adrian replied, smirking because his plan was working. He was trying to get in their heads and use that to drive them away. Adrian had the unique ability to phase himself through objects, but he could only do it in short intervals and it took a toll on him. That¡¯s why he was waiting until the last moment to phase himself so that he didn¡¯t lose consciousness. Now, the man with black hair was angered. He fired a blast at Adrian, which would¡¯ve been a challenge for the brown-haired boy to contest. Just before it touched him, Adrian activated his power and just like before, the blast phased right through him. ¡®Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it!¡¯ Adrian looped in his head. Five seconds later, the man stopped and stood in fear as Adrian smirked, hiding his exhaustion. Now, Adrian was betting it all. He hoped that he¡¯d put them in such a shaken state that he could scare them off. ¡°It¡¯s my turn!¡± he claimed. Then, a deep, jade Aura formed around him. It poured off of him, rolling across the ground like a low mist. The trio stared in terror. ¡®If he can do something as amazing as that, then there¡¯s no telling how strong he is!¡¯ the man with black hair thought. ¡®This is bad! This is really, really, bad! I don¡¯t wanna die! I need to get away!¡¯ the woman thought desperately. ¡®No! No! Stay away from me, you damned monster!¡¯ the man with white hair panicked as he stepped back. Then, one after another, all three of them scrambled away. They didn¡¯t even bother to get their horses. They just ran while screaming and didn¡¯t even think to look back. After they were gone, Adrian collapsed onto his right knee and panted as he supported himself with his right hand. The townspeople all looked at him, unsure of what to feel. Some of them felt grateful, but the majority of them were afraid. After the experiences they all had, they weren¡¯t sure if they could trust people with powers like Adrian¡¯s. Finally, people spoke out. ¡°Th-Thank you¡­¡± the father that Adrian saved called. Adrian nodded, still catching his breath and unable to talk. ¡°I think he should just leave.¡± another man said. ¡°What? Are you stupid? He just saved us and you want him to leave?¡± one man argued. ¡°I think he should go, too. If he¡¯s like them then it¡¯ll only be trouble!¡± one woman chimed in. ¡°He¡¯s like one of those damn Slayers the government always has on a leash!¡± another man stated. That got the crowd of people murmuring amongst themselves. ¡°You idiots! He¡¯s not-¡± the father tried. ¡°No!¡± Adrian finally interrupted. Then, he rose to his feet as they all looked at him. ¡°I appreciate you defending me. I really do, but I just can¡¯t stay. If I do, it¡¯ll only cause more trouble. Chances are, they¡¯ll come back some day. They might hurt you, but I¡¯ll come back every now and then to check in. I¡¯m not like them, and I doubt I¡¯ll be able to protect you next time. With that being said, I have to go. Stay safe.¡± Adrian announced. Their reactions were completely mixed. Some people looked relieved, but others looked heartbroken. Adrian walked toward the closest people because that was his closest exit. Without any resistance, they made a path for him, knowing he was still exhausted from fighting. With that, his beginning was complete. Now, Adrian was heading toward Ashtown, a certain place he¡¯d heard about during his time wandering from place to place. Ashtown was the home of Slayer Academy West, the exact place where Adrian¡¯s life would be changed forever. END. 0e Enter: Alexis Parker Enter: Alexis Parker The Sun was shining down brightly on the village of Rosepark. It was a very beautiful day outside. A single girl sat in the town square, resting on a bench as she smiled while looking at a garden of soft, pink roses in front of her. She loved the garden so much that she visited it each and every day, always making at least fifteen minutes to go and looked at the patch of roses. The girl wore an extremely simple outfit. She wore a pink shoulderless sweater with black straps going over her shoulders. She also wore white pants that left part of her shins uncovered along with black shoes. This girl also had long, blonde hair that flowed to her waist. She had a piece of her hair clipped together at the left side of her face so that it didn¡¯t fall into her sight. Her hair also covered her left ear. She had gorgeous, brown eyes that were so deep and caring. Her name was Alexis Parker and she was sixteen years old. Alexis¡¯ outfit was basically a reflection of herself. She was, in a way, a simple person, believing that the answer to every problem was kindness, compassion, and gentleness. Alexis smiled softly as she gazed at the roses. A butterfly fluttered toward her, bouncing past her as it made its way through the air. Then, as her eyes followed the butterfly, Alexis remembered that she was supposed to go out and pick berries for her mother and father. With that, she stood from the bench and walked through the town until she¡¯d reached the woods outside of it. She walked around the wilderness, not afraid of its dangers in the least as she looked around for a bush to pick from. After a while, Alexis finally found a blueberry bush that she thought looked nice. As she picked the berries, a loud explosion erupted from behind her. She stood and faced it, watching in concern as smoke barreled into the sky. Then, a blue light filled the sky and vanished just as quickly as it appeared. That was when Alexis heard it. The noise of something big coming toward her at a blinding speed. She ducked behind the bush just moments before a gigantic Wildebeest slid out of the brush. It was a gorilla-like Wildebeest known as a Guerilla, but it was a Beta level Guerilla, meaning it was ranked as the second most deadly of its class. It was hairy and black with gray streaks here and there on its body. It stood at thirteen feet tall with menacing, red eyes. It had one large spike coming from each shoulder, both breaking into smaller spikes toward the points. Its knuckles had jagged spikes that dug into the ground and even its kneecaps had spikes stabbing outward. To add to its deadly look, the Wildebeest had small spikes going down its spine. Like all other Wildebeests, it had a black, tear-like object in the center of its chest, encased in gray fur. The Guerilla looked around, sniffing the air as it could sense something was around. It looked around until its nose led it to the bush Alexis was behind. Without a second thought, and a great roar, the Wildebeest leaped over the bush. It searched around, but nothing was there. It sniffed the air again, but could still smell a human around. Confused and frustrated, it charged away and left Alexis there, who had been too scared to scream. ¡®I-I-I don¡¯t.. I don¡¯t know what just¡­¡¯ she attempted. She was staring at it just a moment ago and it was staring at her before it ran off. Then, she noticed something that completely shook her. She couldn¡¯t see her legs. She couldn¡¯t see her hands. She couldn¡¯t see herself. ¡®Wh-Wh-What¡¯s going on? How do I¡­ How¡­ How¡­ How do I change back?¡¯ she asked herself. Just before she could lose herself in her panic, Alexis suddenly became visible again. She stared at her hands, looking from her palms to the back of her hands and then back at her palms. Seconds later, it dawned on her where the Wildebeest was heading. A dark cloud rolled upwards into the sky as Alexis stared toward her hometown. Frantically, desperately, Alexis sprinted toward her hometown, tears in her eyes and trailing behind her. Once she could see her town, her worst nightmare had come true. The buildings in front of her were blazing in flames. Some people were standing at the edge of the forest, staring in shock as the fire blazed. Alexis examined the people to see if her parents were there, even though she lived on the other side of the town. Alexis¡¯ fear was obvious on her face as she stared into the raging flames that engulfed her hometown. However, she took a deep breath and strengthened her resolve. ¡®I have to find them!!¡¯ she declared to herself as she ran into the blaze ahead of her. A few people called after her, warning her not to go into the town, but she didn¡¯t listen to a word they said.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Alexis ran through the fire and flames, approaching the rose patch that she loved so much. That was when it happened. The Guerilla Wildebeest came crashing through a building in front of her off to her right. It roared ferociously as the fire continued to rage around them. ¡°You! You did this!¡± Alexis screamed. The Wildebeest looked at her, its eyes narrowing as she glared at it. Alexis lunged toward the beast. ¡®I can¡¯t even explain it¡­ I-I¡¯m not much of a fighter, but something¡¯s telling me that I have to. Just this once, I¡¯ll fight so I can protect what I have left!¡¯ Alexis thought as she pulled her right fist back, unaware that a strong, pink aura had shrouded her fist. As hard as she could, Alexis punched at the Wildebeest, but it was blocked. Still, its power sent the Wildebeest sliding back through the streets. She ran forward again, crying out in rage as she grew closer. In one swift swing, the Wildebeest smacked Alexis back down the street. Alexis hit the ground and tumbled over herself until she ran into the roses. She was in a pain so strong that she never would¡¯ve thought it was possible. Even though she was hurt, Alexis stood up. ¡°Must¡­ protect them¡­¡± she groaned as she picked herself up. She panted as she watched the Guerilla bound toward her, steam shooting from its mouth with each breath it took. Then, Alexis lunged toward it again, her right fist pulled back again. Their fists met in midair, causing a small shockwave that made the flames bend back like a wave. Both of them were sent back, Alexis landing in the roses again as the Wildebeest landed in the street. She almost fell, but managed to catch herself just barely. Her vision was starting to blur, but the Wildebeest was still standing, unaffected by the fight and still having plenty of energy left despite rampaging through the town. The spikes on its body began to grow. Then, with a roar, the spikes launched all around, destroying buildings, or what was left of them. Alexis raised her arms to protect herself, unknowingly raising her Aura as well, but the spikes still pierced through her Aura and cut her body. After the barrage was over, the Wildebeest¡¯s spikes replaced themselves as Alexis fell back into the roses. ¡®God, why¡­ I just wanna protect them¡­¡¯ Alexis thought as she looked into the gray clouds above, past the pink rose petals that rocked and flipped through the air as they grew closer to the ground. ¡®I don¡¯t wanna lose this¡­ I love this place! I love my home and everybody here!¡¯ Alexis added as the Aura returned. It surrounded her completely and lifted her to her feet, causing the Wildebeest to growl at her. ¡°I love my family and you will not take them from me!!¡± Alexis shouted as she glared at the beast before her. With a loud scream, Alexis¡¯ Aura expanded through the town, extinguishing the flames in its embracing pulse as it spread out. Some pieces of the buildings around were torn off and carried toward the Wildebeest, skewering it all throughout its body. Finally, it was over. The Wildebeest was miraculously dead and the fire was out, but the damage was done already. A lot of the town was burned down and what was left was going to fall because of the damage. The only thing in contact was the rose garden. Alexis began to cry as she knelt in the rose patch, fearing what she¡¯d lost as her tears dropped onto the roses beneath her. A little over a week later, Alexis had decided that she had to learn what her powers were and how to control them so that she could protect others from suffering what she did. She looked at the rose garden, which was now a memorial for those that were lost in the Rosepark Fire. She bowed, paying her final respects to the lives lost. Then, she turned away and began down her path. However, as she reached the edge of the town, she was stopped by two people calling out to her. One was her father, a man with short brown hair, brown eyes, glasses, a sweater vest, a white long sleeve and khakis with black shoes. The other was her mother was a woman that had short, blonde hair, blonde eyes, a white sweater, and a long, blue skirt with black shoes. ¡°Goodbye, dear! Come and visit us if you can! We love you!¡± her mother cried out in tears. ¡°Make us proud, Alexis!¡± her father added as he held his wife. Now, Alexis started to cry as she shakily waved to them. ¡°I-I will¡­! I love you, too¡­!¡± Alexis replied as she forced herself to keep going. With that, all of the pieces were beginning to come together. Crow¡¯s search was leading him to Slayer Academy West. Rashel¡¯s running brought her to Slayer Academy West. Keith¡¯s dream was waiting for him at Slayer Academy West. Adrian and Alexis both wanted to learn what they were and what they capable of. Everything was being set in motion as a team unlike any other was destined to form. END.