《Red Souls》


 Red Souls Chapter 1: The Awakening

    <h2 class="western" style="text-align: center">Chapter 1: The Awakening</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    ¡°I''m telling you, that umpire messed it up, big time. That was a safe!! Look, here''s my proof. Look!!¡±


    Jack Mercer leaned over, slightly disinterested in the argument his best friend, Nick Sturges, was having with another kid in the front seat. Nick was waving his smartphone, trying to take advantage of the free wifi available on the school bus they were riding on.


    To Jack''s eyes, sure enough, it looked like the umpire indeed made the wrong call. The ¡°ump¡± gave the home base out on the bottom of the eighth, and more crucially, robbing the final, decent chance for a storybook comeback for the visiting team, the team Nick was emotionally invested in.


    Jack shrugged his shoulders and chimed in. ¡°Yeah, well, does it matter now? Your team still lost in the end, Nick.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no. Okay, fine. Sure, they lost, but they shouldn''t have in the first place, right? This whole thing''s a conspiracy, you know? The league doesn''t want my team to advance to the playoffs, I''m telling you right now.¡±


    Jack shrugged his shoulders again. He wasn''t a baseball fan to begin with, and neither was he much of a believer in the grand theory of the big guys playing unfair over the small guys. ¡°Whatever you say, Nicky. Just make sure you don''t mention your fondness for wild conspiracy theories to a stranger ¨C they might end up with a notion that you''re a nutcase.¡±


    Nick sulked and was about to put away his phone when it chimed; a message had come through. After a quick read-through, he exclaimed aloud.


    ¡°Holy crap, man. Check this out. Sue just sent me this,¡± said Nick, as he hurriedly handed the phone over to Jack.


    On the screen, there was an image, a blurry one, of two figures fighting. It sent a chill down Jack''s back because he recognized the location where the fight was taking place.


    ¡°Jesus, Nicky. That''s our school, isn''t it? Is everyone there alright?¡±


    Jack''s little sister was also attending the same high school. He was rightly worried about her safety. Also, his other friends were there, too. As luck would have it, only his class was on this paid-for field trip to the downtown museum of the natural science.


    ¡°Relax, Jack. Sue says these two Supers fleeted by the school''s football field, that''s all. No one''s hurt.¡±


    That was a good news to hear. Sighing in relief, Jack leaned back in his seat by the windows and accidentally met with Emily''s eyes. She was looking at him curiously with soft shimmering eyes.


    Quickly, both of them averted their gazes, faces slightly dyed in red. But soon after, Jack felt a bit foolish for doing that. He hadn''t done anything wrong here; no reason to look away in embarrassment. So, he raised his head and tried to stare back but Emily was already talking to another girl next to her, her focus no longer on him.


    Jack felt incredibly stupid in that moment. To him, Emily, his ex-girlfriend, didn''t seem too broken up about their break-up. Maybe she was more mature than he was. Maybe she knew how to handle disappointments better than he did.


    Whatever, from where he sat, Emily didn''t really seem to mind ¨C about everything, while Jack was having a hard time accepting it.


    That was why he felt so stupid right now. And at the same time, deeply discouraged about the prospect of getting back together. After all, it was his mistake that led to the break-up. To this very day, he still could not, for the life of him, figure out why he did what he did.


    Nick was oblivious to his friend''s girl troubles, too busy checking out the posts made in all the social media platforms he was a member in.


    ¡°According to the eyewitnesses, the two Supers have moved on from the suburbs. Apparently, they are heading towards the city. Huh, this field trip might get canceled, after all,¡± said Nick.


    ¡°I think there''s a bigger issue than the possibility of our trip ending up as a waste of time, Nick.¡± Jack shook his head wryly and spoke.


    ¡°Yeah, that too.¡±


    Nick furrowed his brows while replying to Jack.


    ¡°How long ago was that image taken?¡±


    Nick''s friend, who was arguing about the baseball earlier on, asked.


    ¡°According to Sue, maybe five, ten minutes, tops.¡±


    Jack sat up slightly in his seat. The amount of time described sounded like a lot to him. A Super, depending on the type of the superpower, could easily reach the city limits from the school in a matter of minutes. He found it strange then, when he, who was sitting by the window, could not see the two battling Supers flying ¨C or jumping, running, whatever ¨C by the highway.


    He felt something was wrong. As to what it was, he didn''t know. And as to why he felt it, he couldn''t tell that either.


    A small, insistent voice was rising up inside his mind. But he wasn''t sure of what it was saying just yet.


    But that noise became much louder when the school bus suddenly lurched to a halt. As a matter of fact, when Jack looked outside the window, he saw that every car on the highway R-35 Northbound had stopped for some reason. Up ahead, a massive traffic jam had developed. Quickly, the sea of unmoving cars was increasing dramatically behind the bus.


    Jack turned his attention back inside the bus. He could hear his classmates grumble and complain about the sudden hold-up. Nick, in turn, was looking at him and asking, with a simple tilt of chin, what he could see outside. Being friends for a long time meant they could communicate just fine like that.


    ¡°Something''s not right,¡± said Jack. ¡°I think... we should get off the bus. Just in case.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± Nick asked, clearly puzzled. But then, he was slightly stunned as Jack''s face became deathly pale. ¡°Hey man, you okay? You look bad, like, really bad.¡±


    Thick beads of sweat dripped down Jack''s forehead. Upon noticing the sweat trails, Jack wiped them off with his black wristband, a gift his younger sister gave him during his 17<sup>th</sup> birthday a month ago.


    ¡°C''mon, let''s go and talk to Mr. Johnson,¡± urged Jack as he quickly got up from his seat.


    Shrugging his shoulders in defeat, Nick stood up as well. The two of them approached the teacher in charge of the trip, one Mr. Johnson, to get the permission to leave the bus.


    Johnson''s answer matched Nick''s expectation perfectly.


    ¡°What?! Not happening, guys. Get back to your seats, Mercer, Sturges. No way I''ll let you guys off the bus when we''re sitting in traffic.¡±


    Unsurprisingly, their teacher forbade them from leaving the bus. After all, in a litigation-happy country like the States, it paid to be cautious of pretty much anything that had the potential to be taken to court. But Jack was not deterred. If anything, he was getting even more motivated to leave.


    ¡°But Mr. Johnson, we need to get out of here, off this bus right now. It''s important!!¡±


    Jack''s voice rose up, drawing the attention of the rest of his classmates towards him.


    Frowning, the teacher raised his eyebrow and asked back. ¡°Why? Why do we need to leave the bus?¡±


    ¡°Because....¡±


    Jack was going to say his intuition was telling him to get off the bus, but then, stopped. It was obvious, even to him, how absurd that sounded. Never mind also sounding like an excuse as well. No one, short of being a loon or a drunk would accept his reasoning, just like that.


    ¡°Oh, c''mon, Mr. Johnson. Look at him. Just look at Mercer. He needs fresh air. I think he might be getting car sick. Or something. I mean, if he ends up hurling, might as well he do it outside, right?¡±


    In the nick of time, Nick came to the rescue of his friend. He spoke casually but what he said looked more or less plausible when viewed from Johnson''s perspective.


    Besides, when the possibility of Jack''s half-digested breakfast decorating the bus''s interior was brought up, the kids who heard it raised the commotion. That also helped to force Johnson''s hands.


    The teacher studied Jack''s face for a second longer before opening his mouth. ¡°Fine. But stay near the bus, where I can see you guys. And you come back on board when I call you, got it?¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± Nick beamed brightly as he grabbed his friend''s arm. He exited the bus with Jack in tow.


    It didn''t go the way Jack envisioned, what with his class thinking that he had a weak constitution but it had to do, for now. And once some outside air got into his lungs, even though it was heavily laced with the exhaust fumes of all the idling cars around him, Jack did feel a little bit better.


    Nick patted his back and asked with a grin. ¡°Feel better?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Jack smiled back, before changing the direction of his gaze toward the front of the traffic. He could see the silhouette of the city''s skyline, and a long line of cars standing still. There were some drivers who had disembarked from their rides to see what the hell was going on as well.


    ¡°Wanna check out the front? See what''s causing this hold-up?¡±


    Nick whispered to Jack after checking the insides of the bus. Apparently, Mr. Johnson was on his phone, speaking rather animatedly to someone. Probably the principal of the school or the director of the museum''s guided tour to let them know there would be an unavoidable delay in the schedule today.


    In other words, their strict minder was not minding them at that moment.


    Nodding his assent, Jack motioned with his chin, not saying anything else. And in a blink of an eye, the two boys hurriedly ran forward, weaving past the parked but still humming vehicles.


    As they went past an SUV, Jack saw a kid, about 10 years old, sitting in the back and staring at the outside with a bored expression. Their eyes briefly met, and the young boy smiled impishly. Jack returned the smile and gave the boy a small wave, too.


    Less than a minute of running later, they arrived at the place where the police had cordoned off the highway. There were lots of people pacing back and forth near the barricades, manning their phones, looking rather worried.


    Jack led his best friend over to a police officer who was the nearest to them and asked.


    ¡°Officer, can you tell us what''s going on? Why is the highway blocked off?¡±


    The person they chose was a gruff-looking, slightly overweight highway patrolman in his forties, with a 70s pornstar mustache and the matching aviator shades to boot. He was slowly chewing on a gum in a rather showy fashion as if such an action made him look like a tough guy.


    The patrolman pointed his thumb behind him and spoke in a practiced monotone. ¡°Some stuff about two Supers duking it out. The area up ahead is dangerous and thus the road is closed for a foreseeable future. Please return to your vehicles until the situation is under control. Thank you for your cooperation.¡±


    Nick was going to retort to the robotic and disinterested cop when Jack intervened, shaking his head slightly. It was better not to poke a sleeping lion with a stick, so to speak. Who knows what kind of dissatisfied life this man may have lived? No point in setting off a bomb with a smart comeback that wasn''t really necessary.


    So the two of them began walking back. Since they knew the cause of the traffic, they needed to get back to the bus before their punishment grew larger.


    But they couldn''t take too many steps forward ¨C because there was a small splattering sound coming from behind them, which was soon followed by another, softer splat. Then, a disembodied head, still wearing a helmet, aviator shades and all, rolled by the feet of two shocked boys.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    When they turned around to see what happened, they saw a pool of gore where the patrolman was standing a minute ago. That wasn''t all; there were other pools of blood, and some of the barricades were in the middle of melting down as well.


    Just beyond that, two figures, one hovering in the air, while the other, dashing across the ground, busy firing green plasma-like substance at the hovering figure.


    When that green substance struck a car next to Jack, the metal on the vehicle hissed, and began melting.


    Needless to say, people began screaming. And quickly, all hell broke loose.


    Jack grabbed shocked Nick and wordlessly ran. He ran hard, pushing and shoving the screaming walls of people, disorganized and stumbling over themselves to get away.


    By the time Jack ran past the SUV with the kid in the backseat, there were several loud, thumping explosions coming from behind him. Cars were going boom everywhere.


    The concrete below them buckled and twisted at the resonating shock waves.


    ¡°Damn it!!¡±


    Gritting his teeth, Jack desperately tried to regain his balance. Nick had already fallen over on his rear, unable to endure the quaking.


    Another loud explosion, this time sounding closer than before. Even the faint, distant heat of the flames reached Jack''s cheek, sending another bout of chill to run down his spine.


    Jack helped up his friend to his feet and they resumed running. The school bus was now in view, and the faces of confused passengers could be seen beyond the glass.


    Jack hurriedly waved his arms, frantically trying to draw their attention.


    ¡°Get out of the bus!! Run!! Run!!¡±


    He shouted. Nick too, waved his arms like a madman.


    But other than the teacher, no one had come out of the bus. Johnson climbed out and was about to receive the boys angrily when his complexions changed.


    It happened when Jack got near the bus. A stray shot from one of the two Supers struck the unmoving bus. The resulting explosion shoved Jack into the side of a delivery van, while Nick was forced into the back of another SUV.


    ~


    When he recovered his consciousness, Jack found himself in agonizing pain. He wanted to scream out but he could not form any sound in his mouth. He wasn''t sure where he was, he felt completely disoriented, and his entire body ached and hurt like crazy.


    He groaned and tried to wade out of the cradle of bent metals. His clothing, which was already in shreds, got further torn to bits as the material got caught on the sharp edges.


    Some even sliced his skin, drawing out more blood. But Jack couldn''t feel that. As he freed his trapped body from the metal confinement, he fell head first on the ground. The asphalt below felt cold against Jack''s skin.


    Blood seeped into the cool and gray ground below, dying it several shades darker.


    Even though it was cold, the surroundings were only getting hotter.


    Jack could see a sea of flames, burning brightly all around him. Cars, buses, vans, trucks ¨C whatever ¨C were burning, like a field of flowers on fire.


    Jack heard the faint and distant screams of the victims and the panicked running footsteps of the survivors. From where they came from, he couldn''t be sure. Were they near? Were they far? Nothing made sense. He was too dazed and in pain to think clearly.


    The dancing shadows of others painted the picture of a maze of total confusion and disarray that had cast its vice-like grip in the area.


    Jack crawled on his front, trying to get near the burning wreck of the bus. The smell of cooking human flesh filled the air, making him want to hurl.


    Before his blurring vision, he saw the remains of the bus that, only a moment ago, he was riding on.


    Only a moment ago, he was seating inside, talking to his friends about a ball game.


    Only a moment ago, he was avoiding making eye contacts with Emily, too scared and stupid to make up with her.


    Only a moment ago, his life was normal, unremarkable, safe. He was a normal kid, living a normal life.


    Yet, here he was, lying in the rapidly forming pool of his own blood.


    The two Supers, the two responsible for the carnage, had already flown past, uncaring and forgetting about the cost they left behind. To the two of them, this battle was more important than the lives of some faceless numbers making up the statistics.


    Helpless tears formed at the corners of his eyes, from the immense pain, from the immense anger, from the realization of what had happened right before his eyes.


    He crawled a bit more forward, dragging his broken and bleeding body. There were bones protruding from his left shin. His left shoulder was dislocated; collar bones, most likely shattered. Numerous cuts and bruises, bleeding profusely all over. Clothing ripped and shredded, singed by the flames. Many internal organs damaged and bleeding. His lungs were slowly filling up with liquids.


    Yet, he never stopped crawling closer to the bus. In his blooming madness, he desperately hoped that someone, anyone, might have survived the explosion. He thought that if he got there, maybe he could save a life.


    The crimson blood seeped into his eyes, coloring the world red. He couldn''t see anything properly anymore.


    He raised his only working arm, wiping away the blood and then trying to grasp the burning, twisted metal of the bus, flames dancing beyond it.


    His palm began to sizzle when he finally managed to grab the exposed, heated metal frame. Jack''s mind ignored the pain and pulled himself closer. He weakly shouted out Emily''s name. He called out other names. He called out for anyone.


    But there were no replies. Not a single one.


    The despair he felt during that moment took away the last of his strength. Jack limply fell, and rolled on his back. Now, his vision was filled with the bright but pale blue sky blighted only by the rising smoke plumes.


    Jack felt breathing becoming harder. He was slowly drowning in his own fluids. He knew, almost instinctively, that he was going to die here. He didn''t want to give up, but the prospect of not suffering through this horrendous pain seemed rather appealing to him right then.


    His consciousness began to flicker. His eyes swam. All colors from the world seemed to drain away, turning his vision black and white.


    In this colorless world, even the ambient sounds were lost. Now, Jack was trapped in a world of vacuum, alone. But because of the utter isolation, even the smallest changes could be easily spotted.


    And so, Jack caught the sight of something red, slowing rising from the burning wrecks. One by one, numerous mists of blood-red crimson rose among the black smoke. From the van he crashed into, from the car next to him, and most of all, a lot of the red mist rising from the school bus.


    He watched, at first stunned and curious, then in horror, as these red mists began to rise in every place where things were burning and people were lying dead.


    The red mists rose up to around six feet in the air, before swirling and coalescing into oval shapes of various sizes. Some were large, some were small, some were in between. One common thing they all shared, though, was their color ¨C red. Crimson red, like the freshly spilled blood of the sacrifices doting this very highway.


    As these oval shapes became more clearer, Jack shuddered involuntarily, his mind reeling uncontrollably at the bizarre sights occurring around with him as the epicenter.


    And when the oval shapes finished forming into solid objects, Jack felt all the hair on his body stand up.


    There were faces trapped inside the oval shapes. Screaming faces full of agony and terror. Worst of all, each of the numerous crimson oval shapes formed from the bus contained screaming faces of everyone Jack recognized. There was one with Emily''s face in it, even.


    Jack was petrified. He felt his heart freezing up with fear of the unknown. An urgent desire to escape this place filled him up but his rapidly stiffening body wouldn''t let him.


    Why is this happening?! Is this a hallucination? Am I seeing things?!


    He wanted to call out for help, call out to Emily''s screaming face captured within the oval.... crystal. He just wanted someone to hear his cries.


    But no voice came out. Instead, only the blood that had filled his lungs gurgled out of his mouth.


    Am I going to die like this? Jack thought bitterly. I haven''t done anything yet. I haven''t even achieved a thing. But, like this, I''ll die?!


    The sky above seemed calm, regardless of the carnage unfolding on the ground. It seemed distant, uncaring. It seemed as if none of his pain and suffering mattered in the grand scheme of things, in the flow of the cosmos and all that stuff.


    A powerful rage built up inside his heart. His eyes were literally reddening with pure madness. He wanted to curse the sky for its indifference, he wanted to curse the two Supers for putting him in this situation, and he wanted the overturn the unfairness of it all by his own hands.


    Only if he had power.


    As if to heed his call, the red crystals began floating towards him. Towards Jack.


    As he howled silently in anguish, those crimson oval crystals converged on him, like a greedy pack of hyenas jumping on top of a felled prey. Their screaming mouths were wide open and twisted cruelly, as if trying to devour him alive.


    But rather than eating him alive, the crystals were directly absorbed into Jack''s body, one by one.


    Jack stopped his soundless screams and watched the whole thing unfold, shocked and surprised. Even though it was happening to his body directly, Jack couldn''t feel a thing. He couldn''t even move a muscle. All he could do was to watch, unable to resist.


    The crimson crystals rushed towards him from almost everywhere ¨C not just from the burning bus. And he could see there were so many of them, these red.... souls.


    And when the final one entered his body, Jack''s vision grew dim. His mind sank deep within his own subconscious. It fell like a tiny pebble, dropped into a deep, dark, bottomless well.


    Jack''s mind spun as he fell and fell ever deeper, until a tiny spot of light manifested itself within this unending bleak darkness.


    Then, the spot exploded into a kaleidoscope of dazzling color, swirling and dancing and overwhelming him. Jack tumbled around within this crazy light show like a stray sock inside a spinning washing machine, until the world around him opened up. Before his stunned eyes, a landscape was materializing like a mirage, then as something real and tangible next. Like a sudden projection of a 3D image, the whole world slammed into him, sucking him in.


    Jack, at this point, was clearly left shocked and confused. He had no idea what was going. Was this the afterlife? He was half expecting the famed Pearly Gates to appear and the presiding angels to welcome him, but this....


    The world before him was not heaven, he was quite sure of that.


    Because, he was staring at some kind of an ancient world.


    Jack was standing on the balcony of a huge stone tower, a spire, overlooking the ancient city below. In the distant horizon, he saw dusty, desert-like plains and savannahs that stretched forever, and a clearest, bluest sky he had ever seen overhead. And even further than that, like a mirage, a huge structure that stretched beyond to the sky.


    Turning around, Jack witnessed the inside of the spire, where lavish decorations of gold and silk were everywhere, emanating the charm of some mystical, Oriental realm. And before his dazed eyes, he was greeted by the sight of a gorgeous, scantily-clad raven-haired woman who simply exuded effortless exotic charm. She was lying next to a huge, saber-toothed tiger, affectionately stroking its luxuriant fur.


    She lifted her gaze and met Jack''s dazed eyes, and with a hint of mischievousness, she beckoned him closer.


    Her sweet, full lips parted and whispered a word.


    Jack frowned, trying to listen. But try as he might, he could not hear her.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Jack asked. Yet, his lips didn''t part. More correctly, his body wasn''t speaking. Rather, it approached the woman and lied down next to her, slowly embracing her.


    Then, the images before him blurred and began fading away.


    Jack waved his hands, trying to reach out. But the images dissolved away, leaving behind only the empty darkness.


    ¡°Were they.... memories? My memories? But.... it can''t be.¡±


    Jack muttered to himself, utterly confused at this point. As he pondered, the inky blackness that had surrounded him began to glow in eerie red. Jack became greatly alarmed.


    ¡°What is it this time?!¡±


    Soon, the darkness was overcome by the blood-red color exploding from everywhere. The Red Souls that were absorbed into him began to appear one by one, rotating and spinning all around stupefied Jack.


    There were so many in here, Jack couldn''t even begin to count the sheer numbers.


    He nervously gulped, scared and undecided. Yet, in the end, his curiosity won over. Jack hesitantly reached out and touched the nearest crystal.


    It felt warm and hard. It shuddered a little, but remained there, still slowly spinning. Nothing else happened other than that.


    This only made Jack even more confused than before. He didn''t know what he was supposed to do. He felt like he was trapped in here and that he had to get out somehow, just that he had no idea how.


    He felt frustrated. He felt powerless and lost. He felt so alone and confused. Totally miserable.


    Among the spinning Souls, Jack tried to locate Emily''s face. He remembered absorbing one with her image in it. He thought that maybe he could at least try to talk to her. Or something similar. Anything to stop himself from going crazy.


    If he hadn''t yet crossed that threshold already.


    But before he could, he felt his chest go bump. Then, out of the blue, he heard voices. Distant, indistinct voices, calling out to him.


    The crimson world quickly faded away, and Jack weakly opened his eyes. When he did, he was staring at the concerned faces of the paramedics, trying to revive him.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 2: The Hospital

    <h2 class="western" style="text-align: center">Chapter 2: The Hospital</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Jack''s consciousness slowly came back. When he opened his heavy eyes, he found himself lying on a spacious bed in a darkened room. He knew instinctively that this was a hospital.


    The lights were off, and there were heavy curtains drawn over the windows. It was dark outside, anyway ¨C no light to enter in the first place unless all those sparkling embers of distant city lights were counted as one.


    His head ached like crazy. Funny thing was, though, he also felt as if swimming in the ocean full of olive oil, judging by how lethargic he felt. A throbbing head and a reticent body ¨C a strange combination indeed.


    How long have I been out for?


    Jack closed his eyes and tried to recall. For obvious reasons, he couldn''t make heads nor tails the amount of time he spent lying here. It only made his headache worse.


    Looking at his own body, what with the limited mobility his neck currently had, Jack pretty much understood the grim situation he was in. He was wrapped completely in bandages, from head to toe; various tubes coming out of him and electrodes attached to his chest, head, wherever. He didn''t so much look like a patient but a science experiment with the sheer number of odd things sticking out of him.


    Even he could tell the operations to save his sorry ass were monumental in difficulty. At least he knew the doctors had succeeded ¨C otherwise, he wouldn''t have woken up at all.


    Then, he fell into a sudden bout of panic. Was he the only one to survive? What about Nick? Jack remembered seeing his friend standing right by his side. What happened to him? And what about the bus and its passengers? Did they survive?


    Where were they?


    Jack''s head hurt even more. It was like a dozen or so scalpels digging into his brain. A small groan escaped his lips.


    He tried to raise his hands, his arms, and massage his aching head. Only then did he notice the restraints placed on all but one of his limbs. His right arm was the lucky, untethered one. Even it was wrapped in several smaller bandages with signs of careful stitching evident underneath.


    Those restraints were there to prevent Jack from moving his damaged limbs, lest he banged them on the railings of his bed and hurt them further. Still, it was not a good feeling to see his own body strapped down like that, like a dangerous mental patient in a psychiatric ward.


    In this state, he couldn''t even call for a night nurse via a remote that was on the wall right next to his head.


    There was a soft click, a sound of a door opening. When Jack concentrated, he could see that there was a sliver of amber light coming out from the far-side wall from his bed. Through the crack of the opening, he saw a bathroom and then, the figure of his father, Bob Mercer, emerging from it. He was trying to move around as quietly as possible.


    Because of that light, Jack could see that he was not alone in the room after all. Jack saw his younger sister, Dana Mercer, by the foot of his bed. She was sitting on a chair but slumped forward, resting her torso on the mattress. She was sound asleep, but her brows twitched occasionally as if to let him know that she wasn''t having a nice little dream.


    Jack''s mother, Min-jung Mercer, was occupying a chair near the window. She too was asleep, with a coat acting as her blanket. There was a worried frown on her face as well, just like her daughter.


    Bob looked tired, the soft amber lighting accentuating the creases on his face. But his expression brightened the moment he saw Jack''s open eyes staring at him.


    Bob quickly made his way next to his son and stroked his head.


    ¡°Hey, you woke up. How are you feeling right now?¡±


    ¡°...Like crap, dad.¡±


    Jack groaned out slowly. His voice sounded unnatural to his ears.


    ¡°Yeah, well. That''s to be expected, I guess. Welcome back, son.¡±


    Bob couldn''t hide his relief as he sighed loudly. He then woke the rest of his family up for a tearful reunion. First, it was Dana. She was the closest after all.


    When she was roused, at first she was confused but, as soon as she saw her brother''s open eyes, she burst out in tears.


    ¡°Jack, you are awake!!¡±


    She nearly jumped on the bed to hug him. Only after Bob hurriedly stopped her did she calm down a little and instead decided to hold his hands and wipe her overflowing waterworks.


    ¡°Gosh, you had us so worried!!¡±


    She beamed widely as she squeezed the top of his bandaged hand.


    Her raised voice also had the effect of waking up Min-jung. She brushed her heavy eyelids before gaining cognizance of the events in the room. And a large, relieved smile spread on her face. It had been two days of uncertainty, two whole days of waiting and more waiting.


    Seeing her family smiling like that, all her worries and fatigue accumulated from the past couple of days melted away. All her tireless efforts to save Jack with her medical skills have handsomely paid off.


    She shrugged off the coat and got up, quickly joining the rest of her family in celebrating Jack''s awakening.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Min-jung asked as she checked Jack''s vitals via the monitor displays. Her trained eyes quickly scanned each monitor for anything strange or alarming, but there were none.


    Jack faintly smiled and wanted to shake his head, but the thick bandages meant that wasn''t possible. So, he simply muttered.


    ¡°Not so good. Well, you''re a doctor, so you tell me, mom.¡±


    She chuckled and stroked his cheeks. ¡°Well, my prognosis is that you need to rest up some more and get your strength back before acting like a smart ass.¡±


    ¡°Roger that,¡± Jack smiled weakly before he remembered the questions in his mind. ¡°Mom, dad ¨C how long has it been? Where''s everyone? Are they alright? What about Nick? Is he okay?¡±


    With the exception of Jack, whose face was already pale, all three present felt the blood drain from their faces. Dana hesitantly looked at her parents to find some guidance but she saw that even they were at a loss to how to proceed with breaking the bad news.


    Finally, it was Bob who braved it and spoke out the words.


    ¡°Nick''s in another room. His operation went well, but he hadn''t woken up yet. As for the others.... Right now, that''s all you need to know. Get well first, then we''ll talk about it in depth. I promise.¡±


    It was an unsatisfying answer. Jack wanted to argue for a bit longer, but his intense headache was still with him, gnawing at his patience. So he asked for a sip of water instead.


    As Bob and Dana helped out with that, Min-jung went to the chair to get her coat and saw her smartphone on top of a small round table. Out of habit, she picked it up and checked for messages.


    There was one. The time stamp showed she was asleep when it came. She frowned slightly at the number, before tightly grasping the phone. She turned around to face her family and spoke.


    ¡°I''ll go get the nurses. Wait for me.¡±


    After that, she left the hospital room and entered the quiet corridor. There was a soft murmur from the nurse''s station at the end of the passage but otherwise, all was deathly silent. Even the lighting was muted to reinforce the silence.


    She quickly checked the message on the phone. It said:


    How is your son doing?


    Nothing else other than that simple inquiry.


    Min-jung''s frown grew deeper but she shook head and began typing a message of her own.


    He''s fine, just woken up now. Don''t contact me again. I''ll contact you instead.


    She made sure no one else was around her before putting away the phone in her pocket.


    While Min-jung was outside, the talk inside hadn''t progressed much. Both Bob and Dana were doing their best to make him feel relaxed, but inwardly, Jack was feeling nothing but that.


    His mind was occupied with those red crystal-like things. Those red.... souls of the dead. Also, that ¡°dream¡± world of red crimson orbs, crystals, whatever they were. Whether that was really a dream or not Jack couldn''t be sure, but he was at least certain of one thing ¨C that he''d run into that world sooner rather than later.


    When he thought like that, he felt a line of cold goosebumps forming on his skin; what''s left exposed, anyways. Jack was emphatically not looking forward to encountering more of those screaming, agonized faces trapped in some bizarre crystalline things, all yelling at him and the like. He wanted it to be nothing more than him having an adrenaline-fuelled hallucination, but he knew better. They were as real as reality got. Unless he was mixing reality with illusions, that was.


    Speaking of hallucinations, Jack also remembered dreaming about the ancient world, its crisp blue skies, and that... woman.


    Who was she?


    Jack silently mulled this question. Why did she feel so familiar? Where had he seen her before? Why did all of those felt like memories, rather than... an imagination? Questions upon questions with no answers. It was all rather damn frustrating.


    He gazed at the happy faces of his father and sister, then at the nurses'' and Min-jung''s, and thought, Do I need to tell them? Do I? But can I?


    Jack wasn''t sure. He wasn''t sure of him not imagining things, that he wasn''t making up some crazy fantasy. At the same time, if what he saw was real then he needed to understand a bit more before he was comfortable enough to talk about it.


    The nurses and Min-jung checked Jack''s vitals, recorded some things on the charts, and spoke to Jack, asking him about this and that. One thing he noted from them, was that they were not like regular nurses ¨C he got the feeling he recognized the uniforms.


    After the nurses left, he asked his parents to confirm his suspicions.


    ¡°This isn''t a normal hospital, is it?¡±


    ¡°No, it isn''t,¡± replied Min-jung. ¡°We are at the Fort McNamus General Medical Center. You remember this place, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you used to work here. And brought me here often.¡±


    Min-jung smiled and nodded. ¡°Yeah I did, didn''t I? Well, that was before I went full civilian, though. Don''t worry, you can concentrate on getting better while you''re here. No distractions.¡±


    They talked a bit after that, but in the end, Jack needed his rest ¨C besides, his headache was getting worse. So, after receiving some type of medication, he reluctantly closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep.


    ~


    But, to his disappointment, instead of falling into a deep, restive sleep his consciousness fell straight down the proverbial rabbit hole and slipped into a dark, empty world.


    Jack found himself floating freely, unable to see beyond his nose and the rest of his senses utterly cut off from everything. Suffice to say, he was not even remotely amused by his situation. When he looked down on his body, he was not bound by anything; no tubes, no bandages, no wounds, nor was he wearing a scrap of clothing. But Jack didn''t feel cold at all, and somehow, didn''t feel embarrassed about the exposure of his privates either. There was no one else here to witness it anyways.


    Jack had to question his sanity, wondering out aloud whether this black space, his current condition and the overall tranquility that pervaded this world were all a result of him going totally mad. Or, he fell asleep and now was dreaming one hell of a weird dream. After all, he was trying to sleep so it was only natural to think this was the case.


    However, he soon came to a conclusion that this wasn''t what he thought it was. Why? Simple, really.


    The black, featureless world was soon converted into a blood-red one, filled with the shining red crystal-like souls being the main source of all that crimson hue. It was literally red everywhere, like as if the whole world was submerged into the overflowing river of blood.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Jack gulped nervously. He was floating there, surrounded by these mysterious and horrifying things everywhere he could see. Understandably, he was deeply apprehensive of this new and unwelcome change.


    But when he eyed the floating red soul crystal things, suddenly he recalled an important detail. Quickly, Jack searched around for the faces of people he knew and cared about among the souls, and soon enough, saw his classmates grouped together in one section among the numerous souls.


    It was a bit of a way from where he was. Not knowing a method to move in this world, Jack thought about what he could do here ¨C swim as if he was underwater or in a zero-gravity situation.


    Several ideas came by in his mind, and when he thought about dragging those souls closer to where he was, things began to shift. Indeed, the sea of red seemed to undulate like the parting waves. The group of red souls then flickered and seemingly, in a blink of an eye, teleported right before his stunned face.


    ¡°Oh, that''s convenient,¡± Jack muttered, slightly taken aback but recovering quickly. ¡°Okay, so if I think about wanting something to happen, then it''ll probably happen inside this world....¡±


    A glint of understanding flashed in his eyes. But that glint was shrouded just as quickly when those familiar faces got closer. Jack shuddered as he witnessed all of those faces, still shrieking in agony and still trapped within these abominable crystal things.


    Thankfully, no sound came out of them, mercifully sparing him from enduring the pained screams of people he grew up to know well.


    Jack slowly, hesitantly reached out and touched the nearest one. It was the bus driver''s soul, about the size of a basketball. It was warm and hard to the touch ¨C and was gently pushed away as his fingers made contact with the surface.


    ¡°What can I do with these souls? Why are they.... here? In me?¡±


    Jack mulled this quandary that none could answer but maybe the trapped souls themselves. And as if wanting to satisfy his curiosity, the bus driver''s soul crystal spun faster and faster, all the while ripples spread out from where Jack touched it.


    And with a soft ¡°Pah!!¡± the crystal dissolved into a fine, powdery mist.


    It didn''t stop there. Instead of dispersing away, the red mist then surrounded Jack and slowly rotated around him.


    To say he was really surprised and scared at this new development would be the understatement of the year. Jack thought that he had done something bad to the soul, that he had somehow managed to destroy the damn thing and thereby killing off the soul itself with no future means of reviving it or sending it to The Heaven or some such.


    If that were so, then he''d be feeling so unbelievably miserable of himself.


    However, a certain feeling, a sense really, of familiarity about this situation gradually settled in him. It was hard to explain what was so familiar to him in the first place. It was kinda like, he knew this was supposed to happen. That it was normal.


    It was not too dissimilar to how he knew these souls inside this space would move under his will.


    But as to why it was so ¨C why he felt that way ¨C Jack could not come up with anything plausible. The best he could think of was that he already knew the truth but had forgotten it, only now remembering the details, one at the time.


    For the proof, he only needed to simply think about redirecting the flowing red mist, and the desired result immediately occurred. It changed the direction of its movement with not a sign of hesitation nor resistance. To make sure he was right, Jack tried it a couple more times until his understanding of how this world worked deepened.


    But he wasn''t really satisfied with this much. It felt like he was missing something vital, something important. He just wasn''t sure of what exactly. It was right at the tip of his tongue, teasingly beyond the reach.


    He floated there, surrounded by the red mist and the red soul crystals, pondering.


    He pondered about the ways to leave this place, he pondered about what he had apparently forgotten, and he also pondered about the implications of these red souls inside of him.


    ¡°Could it be that... Am I a Super, too?¡±


    No matter what, Jack could not shake this notion out of his mind. No, it was only getting stronger, this helpless and disgusted feeling. Unless he was going crazy ¨C then, all of this was just nothing but him seeing things that weren''t there.


    But if he wasn''t going mad, then...


    ¡°Then, I must be a Super. It has to be. What other explanations are there?¡±


    Jack breathed in deeply, quite bitter at the prospect of being treated the same as one of those bastards that murdered his friends. Oh, he knew. His father, Bob Mercer may have avoided telling him, but Jack was not a dummy. He remembered the burning bus, the smell of human flesh, the anguished cries. He remembered them all.


    And he just could not bear the thought of it at all, the ultimate insult of being treated the same as the Supers.


    As he trembled in agony and anger, Jack had one of those famed lightbulb moments.


    ¡°No, wait a minute here. If I am a Super, then, doesn''t that mean.... I have the power, potentially, to take those two killers down?¡±


    Jack felt as if a lightning had struck him. An epiphany so powerful, he felt his entire being shudder and shake like an earthquake.


    The mere thought of being a Super powerful enough to exact the righteous retribution to the guilty ones shook him very hard, deep into his core. As a matter of fact, the crimson world began to vibrate, causing numerous large ripples to break out as if the whole world and everything in it were agitated, excited at the prospect of becoming.... a Super.


    ¡°But.... can I? Really?¡±


    Jack hesitated. The cause? He was engulfed in confusion and fear, that was why.


    He wasn''t normally the type to hide in a dark room and not come out until the world was safe again. No, if there was one redeeming quality he had, then it''d be his inability to sit still and do nothing. He had to something.


    So to gain a potential power that might, just might give him a way to dispense justice, then it''d be an enormous boon, no doubt. But at the same time, the fear of being rejected as a monster scared him silly.


    Being rejected and feared by his own family, by everyone he knew, by the world ¨C that thought was completely unbearable to Jack. Yes, the world was full of Supers, both good and bad, and the general populace might have accepted their existence, but Jack no longer felt that way. His anger towards the powerful Supers was real, rooted deeply in his heart, and now, to think he was one just like those he despised, the whole situation left him paralyzed somewhat.


    But he had no choice in this matter anymore. Even if he kept his transformation, his awakening a secret, how long would he be able to carry that baggage? He, or somebody else, would expose it and destroy his life. Of course he was fearful. Of course he was confused.


    Clutching his fist in a fit of frustration, Jack angrily screamed out.


    His voice echoed in the crimson world. The ripples of the world quietened down as the sound waves bounced around. The calm stillness was soon restored, with nary a hint of anything ever happening here.


    Soon, even the echoes of his voice were gone. His throat hurt from the overuse, although technically speaking, he wasn''t really using it just now. Still, it burned and itched, making him desire for a soothing balm of some kind.


    As if to answer this call for relief, the red mist swirled and shot directly into his throat area. Jack stiffened, but he couldn''t do a thing to stop it as the mist was moving too fast, and was quickly absorbed into him.


    It was a very different sensation compared to when the red soul crystals entered him back on the highway. Back then, whether due to the blood loss or the brain blocking out the excruciating pain, he didn''t feel a thing.


    But now, here, Jack felt like something uncomfortably hot and heavy was pressing down on his skin, then against the muscles in his neck ¨C then, even down to the bones and the marrows and the like.


    It was not to the level of being completely intolerable, but still, Jack found the experience very unpleasant.


    The mist was completely absorbed into his neck, and just like that, hoarseness in his throat was all gone. He felt refreshed, for the lack of better description. At the same time, not a drop of that red mist made up of the driver''s soul remained. Jack couldn''t even sense it anymore. It was gone for good.


    ¡°What the.... what the hell was that all about?!¡±


    ~


    The next morning came, and there was a slight but noticeable change in Jack''s condition.


    Bob had to go to work. He could have gotten an absence of leave from his job as an analyst in a huge firm ¨C but chose not to as the company was in the middle of securing a very important contract. Bob''s input was an absolute necessity.


    Dana had to go to school. Now that her brother had woken up, she had to continue with her own life. Putting it on a back burner was not an option, as Min-jung had put it.


    And as for Min-jung herself, since she was a world-renowned geneticist working for a massive global pharmaceutical company, she was given a lot of leeways and she took full advantage of that by staying near her son''s side, studying and checking up on his conditions.


    And that''s when the complications rose.


    It wasn''t to do with the prying eyes of the local and international press. No, the impressive security of the Fort meant that no so-called journalists chasing a primetime slot with a story would be able to sneak in. There was no worry in that regard.


    Nor were they to do with the level of doctors and the equipment here ¨C unlike most military-run hospitals, Fort McNamus was actually run by the Department of Defense. And they made sure every facet of this facility was as advanced as possible in order to treat the high-ranking VIPs and politicians quietly and discreetly.


    Since Min-jung still knew people from here, having her son recuperate here was a good decision from her side, as there was, inevitably, some people trying to use this tragedy of the Highway R-35 Northbound to score valuable political points. Min-jung and Bob both agreed that their children would not be subjected to such opportunism if they could help it.


    Also ¨C there were daily protests going on out there. They were very anti-Super in nature, fuelled by the tragedy that took away countless lives. The whole affair had taken on very serious undertones, both political and social. Min-jung wasn''t sure whether her son was equipped to handle all that right now.


    If anything, Jack needed time to process his grief first before dealing with all that crazy stuff that would normally fly over his head. He was only a 17-year-old teen, after all.


    No, the complications came from the fact that Jack''s neck area was completely healed overnight. This bizarre phenomenon was only noticed by the nurses when they were changing the bandages for a set of new one. Min-jung was present, of course, and bore witness to this near-miraculous recovery all in its glory.


    She was shocked. There was a very little explanation that could match this unusual situation. If Jack''s entire body was healed, then it''d be far easier to understand, but it was just his neck, nowhere else. Now that was.... that was an odd thing. Very odd.


    Min-jung waited until the confused nurses were done with their jobs. She watched them leave, then only did she sit next to her son and carefully asked him.


    ¡°Jack, how are you feeling today?¡±


    ¡°I guess... it''s okay, considering.¡± Jack replied, sounding a little weak.


    ¡°Feel any different? You know, besides the drugs in your system making you drowsy. Like, something has changed in your body. The way it feels to you.¡±


    Jack frowned and hesitated for a brief second. He almost blurted out aloud the matters of the red soul crystals and the crimson world ¨C but held back. His fears still lingered and he didn''t want his own mother to look at him like as if he was a freak.


    So he lied.


    ¡°No, not really. I don''t feel different but yeah, I am drowsy, that''s for sure.¡±


    Min-jung narrowed her eyes slightly but didn''t press any further for now. ¡°If you feel weird, even if it''s just a tiny bit, tell me, alright? Besides being your mother, I''m a pretty good doctor, I''ll have you know. So you can trust my prognosis.¡±


    ¡°Yeah well, that''s a given, mom.¡±


    Jack chuckled, trying his best to hide the slight guilt in his heart from tainting his voice or his facial expression. He wasn''t a good actor and he knew it.


    But he was saved from a barrage of interrogation when Min-jung''s phone vibrated. She was going to ignore it but then she saw the caller''s numbers and ended up frowning a little. She didn''t want to answer it but....


    Sighing, she got up from the bed. ¡°I gotta take this. I''ll return later to check on you. Get plenty of rest, Jack.¡±


    ¡°I know, mom.¡±


    With a gentle smile, she left the room to take the call.


    As soon as she got to the corridor, she connected to the call and heard the unpleasant voice from the distant past she didn''t want to be reminded of.


    ¡°Glad to hear your son is doing fine, doctor Mercer.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Now, what is it you want? I told you not to contact me.¡±


    ¡°Don''t be like that, doctor. We haven''t talked in ages. Why don''t we have a little chat ¨C please stop by at my office later today. Around twelve thirty. See you then.¡±


    Infuriatingly, the other party ended the call before she could refuse. Min-jung didn''t even get to speak properly. She was angry, but at the same time, had to resign herself to the meeting now set in stone regardless of her own feelings.


    She looked at the time displayed on the phone. If she were to make it for the meeting, then she had to get going right away. Before leaving, though, Min-jung took a long, worried gaze towards the direction of her son''s room.


    Meanwhile, Jack was breathing in deeply while examining his neck with the untethered right arm. He wasn''t a dummy ¨C he had also noticed that something was different with his neck. And when he touched there, he was thoroughly shocked himself.


    It took a while to calm down but eventually, he did. Only then was he able to coolly assess why his neck was fine while the rest of his body looked like crap.


    There was only one logical answer, though.


    ¡°It''s the red soul mist....¡±


    Jack imperceptibly murmured to no one in particular.


    He had no doubt that the red soul ¡°mist¡± his neck had absorbed was the cause for this miraculous recovery. Even though he had absorbed it in an illusory world within his mind, the effects were shown in the real world.


    ¡°Oh my god. I am a Super....¡±


    Jack felt like massaging his throbbing head. His worst fears were confirmed for good now. He couldn''t even go on a denial now that there was an irrefutable proof.


    He tried very hard to think positively. There must be something good at the end of all this. Finally, he was able to convince himself that, if this Superpower being manifested in him was a particularly useful one, then he could bring the ones responsible to justice. So that was good.


    He again breathed in deeply. Jack knew there was nothing he could do to change his fate now. To his knowledge, a human being had the figurative ¡°one in a million¡± chance in manifesting a Superpower during his or her lifetime. Not all of that power was good or strong, but if he was lucky enough, then he just might be able to....


    In order to be sure, Jack needed to experiment. He needed to find out more about this power of his, explore it in depth and figure out its limits and attributes if he were to fight.


    He didn''t know how the things he was doing ¨C or planning to do ¨C would affect all the trapped souls inside of him. He didn''t even know whether those souls were.... alive or not, either.


    All he knew at this point was, that these souls could potentially help him avenge his friends.


    Another thing he was mindful of, was that he needed to find another way to access that crimson world. It was going to become a massive bother if he had to fall asleep every time just to ¡°power up.¡±


    Jack couldn''t think beyond these, however. He became too drowsy to continue as the drugs coursed within his veins began to dull his senses.


    So, he quickly drifted into a drug-induced sleep. To his relief, though, rather than ending up in some hazy dream that didn''t help anyone, Jack''s consciousness ended up in the crimson world once more.


    ¡°Alright, since I''m here, might as well start the experiments,¡± said Jack, as he tightly clenched his fists.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 3: The Meeting

    <h2 class="western" style="text-align: center">Chapter 3: The Meeting</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    ¡°You''re going to be late for school, Jack!! Hurry!!¡±


    Bob''s booming voice echoed throughout the typical double story suburban house. Jack winced slightly at the high decibel while putting the final touches on his appearance, as reflected in the body-length mirror next to the bathroom entrance in his room. He quickly checked his attire, making sure nothing was out of place. There was naught he could do about the bags under his eyes, though.


    ¡°I''m coming!!¡±


    Jack called out and took a deep breath. He looked at that tired face, hoping that other people wouldn''t be able to tell something was different about him, that he didn''t go through a baptism of fire and brimstone that had altered him beneath the usual surface. To him at least, the reflection of himself appeared exactly the same as before the incident from the month ago. No visible signs of what he had to live through, no visible trauma of everything he lost that day ¨C the face staring back was still the ¡°Jack Mercer¡± of before.


    He didn''t mean to, but his thoughts wandered back to the past month and a bit since that fateful day. Jack wouldn''t say it was all hazy, and for sure, things happened. Many of them were painful, some of them made him furious, some of them he''d rather forget. In other words, so many things had happened; but he tried to appear nothing had changed.


    Only a small part of that month was spent in the hospital. By logic, he should have been bed-ridden for much longer period than a mere month. His injuries were far too severe for that. So, it couldn''t be helped that Jack''s unnaturally fast rate of recovery ended up shocking the doctors ¨C and his own family ¨C when it took less than a week to completely heal up. The rest of the month was then spent readjusting to the life of a survivor, dodging the attention of the incessant media and the well-meaning but ultimately nosy/unhelpful neighbors.


    In order to heal his body that quickly, Jack ended up depleting his red soul reserve by two-thirds, a fact he had chosen not to share with anyone. The facts that he was a Super, and that inside of him there was this horrifying crimson world packed full of dead people''s souls, those would remain with him, probably to his dying day.


    In hindsight, maybe using up so much of those red souls at one go wasn''t such a good idea, a bad decision made in haste and hot temper. But the upside to his youthful exuberance was that one or two questions about the spirits of the dead inside of him were answered, even if he still felt like he was only just beginning to scratch the surface. That sure felt frustrating, since he couldn''t ask anyone for guidance and had to wade in the dark all by himself.


    And to make the matters worse, there were times when the faces of his confused and worried family nearly pushed his resolve to keep everything to himself to the absolute brink. Somehow, he was able to endure it. Jack brushed away those worried queries of his mother and father and sister with a curt ¡°I''m fine,¡± all the while feeling like crap inside.


    But they could tell he was different. They could only speculate since he told them nothing. Little did they suspect that he was enhancing his physical self with the red souls and that he was occasionally transported to an ancient land while he slept.


    No, it wasn''t him actually traveling to this land but more like, him reliving the memories of another person, a man, the protagonist and the owner of these said memories.


    In these dreams, the skies were truly blue, the land was fantastical and mythical, and the legends were made by the heroes and heroines. Jack encountered things that would rake in big bucks were they put to film and shown in the cinemas over the Summer vacation period. They were that great and over the top.


    Compared to those extravagant adventures, his current struggles felt so small and insignificant in scale.


    Jack felt stuffy and ended up adjusting the shirt collar for the tenth time. Didn''t really help, but it messed up the alignment of his shirt so he had to readjust again. He did this a few times, never quite finding the sweet spot.


    He wanted to be on his best behavior, his best appearance, his best... everything, really, for this day. He was all fine physically and was ready to start living a normal life. This day was all about him returning to school and to his life as a regular teen. A beginning of the rest of his life, back to how it was like before.


    Even though his best friend was still in the hospital, buried deep in a coma with no signs of coming out.


    Jack''s forehead developed a deep crease as the comatose face of Nick rose up in his mind, barely suppressing the gnawing guilt in his heart. It just seemed wrong to even try living like a normal person when Nick was sleeping in the hospital, nobody knowing when he''d wake up.


    Jack nearly gave up and tore off his clothes right then, before regaining his senses. Nick''s parents told him to move on with his life, after all. That Nick would get better in time and it didn''t do either of them any good if Jack brooded over it endlessly, blaming himself for what was out of his hands.


    Jack sighed again and quickly fixed the collar. After straightening his posture, he noticed that the hint of nervousness in the reflection of his face didn''t go way. Jack tried to erase it and plastered a fake smile. He then lightly slapped his cheeks, trying to loosen himself a bit. It didn''t sting as much as it should but that little bit helped. He felt more relaxed, prepared.


    Taking a deep breath, Jack left the room and headed downstairs for his share of breakfast.


    In the spacious kitchen, the whole Mercer clan was present, in various state of having their meals. Because of him diddling around with his appearance, Jack was the last to arrive. On the dining table, there were a couple of boxes of branded cereal, a bottle of low-fat milk and a set of porcelain bowls plus the cutlery ¨C one for each family members. To the side, a wall-mounted flatscreen TV, which was switched on but had its sound muted.


    His mother, Min-jung, had already finished with her meal and was in the process of placing the plates in the dishwasher. As for his father, Bob, he was checking out the news his fancy tablet, his eyebrows twitching unhappily. Although, he had no trouble shoving the strip of bacon to the correct destination ¨C his mouth. Also, when he noticed his tardy son, Bob voiced his disagreements slightly before returning to the tablet.


    His younger sister, Dana, was in the middle of her breakfast when Jack settled down on his seat next to her. The girl''s mouth was half-full as she glanced up at him, her eyes laughing slightly. Jack smiled back at her and lightly patted her head. ¡°Hey, chew properly, alright?¡±


    ¡°Oh my Gawd, really? Did you forget how old I am from that knock on your head?¡±


    Dana grumbled as she pushed his hand away. Jack laughed and tried to ruffle her hair further. She made a face and began to shove Jack away.


    ¡°Hey, behave, you two,¡± said Bob. He then groaned and put down the tablet, hurriedly sliding a plate over to his son. ¡°Hey, take this. Babe, looks like I gotta run. Something really big and messy just went down in the markets. Can you ferry the kids back and forth today? Sorry about this.¡±


    ¡°Sure, it''s fine.¡±


    Min-jung nodded as she closed the dishwasher''s door. She was kitted out in a smart business suit befitting of her profession, as that of a world-renowned scientist employed in a high-paying job.


    Jack smiled faintly at the scene of normalcy on display by his family here. He could tell his parents were trying hard to make everything appear as normal as possible. He appreciated their efforts and tried to go with the flow, not wanting to put a damper on their hard work.


    He looked at his plate; two strips of bacon, toasts, fried eggs with sunny side up, a blob of hash brown. Thinly sliced tomatoes and lettuce rounded off the contents. After asking for the dressing, Jack dug in, aiming to finish them as quickly as possible. He knew he was going to be late if he didn''t.


    Jack picked the bacon first and chewed the juicy, smoky strip, marveling at how delicious it was, no matter how often he ate it. Its ability to temporarily help him forget about the jitters while enjoying the meal was still unparalleled in this world.


    While chewing, Jack briefly turned his attention towards the TV and saw the recorded clip of the current POTUS doing a press conference. It was a current affairs talk show and at the moment, it was carrying a segment on the tragedy of the highway.


    Min-jung noticed this belatedly and silently motioned with her eyes at Bob to change the channel, but Jack intervened first, instead asking his father to turn up the volume in order to hear what was being said.


    ¡°I, David J. Trudale, promise you folks, this: I will definitely sit down with the relevant lawmakers and we are gonna work this out. We''ll look at the laws governing this Superheroes and villains and all that stuff, and find a way to deal with this unruly, and quite frankly, terrible, horrible behavior of these people. I mean, seriously folks. Enough is enough, right? How many lives are these Supers intending on ruining like this?


    ¡°Sure, some of them have done good things in the past, but we still have these dangerous elements hidden in our neighborhood and it''s those guys we need to be wary of, am I right? We need to build a better deterrent, a wall of some kind, to stop these bad eggs from harming the lives of our families, our loved ones.


    ¡°As your president, believe you me, it''s going to happen. I guarantee it.¡±


    The clip ended there, showing the inside of a studio where a male presenter was sitting in the middle while two guests flanked him on either side.


    To his left, a man in his late fifties, wearing a stiff suit that was somewhat out of style, a red bow tie, carefully trimmed and combed dark brown hair, and a pair of thick horn-rimmed glasses perched low on the bridge of his nose. He seemed to be one of those tightly-wounded types, with a massive chip on his shoulders. But at the same time, there was a certain unrestrained air of condescension oozing out from his expressions, as if he was saying ¡°I''m right always and you''re wrong all the time.¡±


    To his right, a well-built man wearing a black tuxedo and a flamboyant face mask that a Mexican luchador might wear to a ring. His bulging muscles seemed comically out of place in that supposedly-suave set of duds.


    The stiff man was the de facto leader and the mouthpiece of the Anti-Super Movement leader, one Professor Anthony Masterson. As for which field he was a professor in, Jack didn''t know, nor did he care, really.


    And the luchador mask-man was a retired Superhero, Vanguard. Well known in the world as the spokesperson for the Guild of Heroes, the bureau for all things Supers-related. When he was an active Superhero, Vanguard performed many heroic deeds and in the process became something of a cultural icon.


    The anchor started off by mentioning that the clip of the POTUS was from a month ago when the tragedy of the R-35 Northbound had occurred. Yet, besides some tough rhetoric spewed by the politicians, nothing was done until now.


    Professor Masterson''s turn to spew some of his own rhetoric came right after that lead-in.


    ¡°Well, it''s not that surprising, really. Over the decades the politicians and lawmakers have given too much leeway to these dangerous, dangerous people, just because they happen to possess immense power that rivals an army. But all the while forgetting that it''s this immense power that makes them dangerous and thus needs a stricter monitoring and governance. The case in point was the tragedy of the R-35 Northbound. Two Supers, who were left unchecked and not properly monitored, went on a rampage and many people, innocent bystanders, ended up paying the ultimate price for their ego-driven power trip. And not even the Guild of Heroes have been able to answer for this tragedy ¨C which is a tragedy all on its own.


    ¡°All I have been saying until now, is to tag and monitor these individuals. We would have been able to prevent this tragedy, and many others like it, if we knew what these dangerous people''s identities are beforehand. The safety of the citizens versus the rights to privacy of a handful of dangerous individuals ¨C I believe it''s not a difficult decision to make, is it not?¡±


    There was a hint of bitterness hidden in Masterson''s voice. Most normal people would fail to discern that, but for Jack, he heard it just fine, thanks to him enhancing his hearing. Not by much, but still enough.


    Vanguard raised his hand and raised his counterpoint. He sure sounded like how he looked, like a certain muscle-bound action movie star, minus the thick Latin accent one might have expected from a luchador.


    ¡°Hold on there, Professor. You make it sound like all Supers are bad in nature. That is patently untrue, and no matter how many times you say it in the vain hopes of perpetuating a falsehood, it will not work, sir.


    ¡°Good people of this country, and indeed the world, know all the important work the Superhero community does and deeply appreciate it. The work performed by these good men and women as Superheroes can only be done because there are explicit understanding of freedom to act within the discretions of the heroes. Take that away and you risk undoing all the good that would have been achieved in the future.¡±


    Jack narrowed his eyes and stared at Vanguard, remembering the time when the Guild of Heroes sent a bunch of representatives to check up on his status and to make a formal ¡°apology¡± at the hospital. However, Jack knew better ¨C those jackasses came for a photo-op, nothing more.


    Among the representatives, Vanguard was also there. Jack had to admit that out of all the jackasses that came to see him that day, it was only Vanguard who sounded truly sincere regarding how sorry he was.


    That encounter left somewhat of a favorable impression of the masked man. But it was just that, an impression. Jack still didn''t trust any of these Superheroes and whatnots. The case in point was the fact that both Master Evil and Falcon, the two Supers responsible, were still in the wind with nary a sign of their imminent arrests or prosecution.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    That''s all Jack needed to confirm his suspicions ¨C that no one was trying to capture the two culprits responsible for his friends'' death. That the Guild of Heroes needed Supervillains like Master Evil in order to justify their own existence; that they needed people like Falcon to act outside the law to carry out a certain type of work that supposedly law-abiding heroes could not.


    It was all a lip service, nothing more. Small guys always ended up suffering the consequences of the big guys rampaging around ¨C the way this unfair world worked since the beginning of the written history.


    Just thinking about these matters pissed Jack off greatly. It became a little harder to hide his agitation, veins popping up in his temples slightly, his eyes becoming sharper and venomous.


    Bob finally switched the TV off and gave the signal with his eye to Min-jung. She nodded and placed her hand on Jack''s shoulder. ¡°Are you finished? Then let''s get going. It''s your first day back, and I don''t want you to be late.¡±


    Jack nodded in consent, although he wasn''t really looking forward to what was coming next: the ride to school.


    ~


    While driving, the mood was rather awkward inside Min-jung''s SUV. That was entirely Jack''s fault.


    Even the valiant attempt at trying to lighten the atmosphere by the mother and the daughter duo by talking about one of Dana''s classmate who was coming over for a sleepover later in the week did not work. Not even stuff about ¡°girl talk¡± that would normally fly over Jack''s scope of understanding failed to brighten the funeral-like aura.


    That was because Jack''s face was covered in a thin sheet of sweat. He was pale and breathing roughly, as he gripped the armrest hard to the point that the plastic was giving out squeaking noises.


    He became like this ever since he got discharged from the hospital. He couldn''t stop shaking from irrational fear whenever he had to ride in a car. Didn''t matter what car it was, the reaction was the same. He tried so many different things to overcome it but....


    Still, here he was, doing his best to ride through this.... phobia, trying to fight it. As he mused before, this was nothing, compared to the man and the adventures he went through in the dream world.


    ¡°So, Jack. You''re 17 now. Maybe it''s time you learn how to drive yourself?¡±


    Min-jung tried to help out by engaging Jack in conversations.


    Even though his voice trembled, Jack did his best to reply.


    ¡°Yeah, I should. But don''t we need another car for that? What about the licence test? I.... I am not sure if I can do that right now.¡±


    ¡°Mm. Yes, you''ll need to buy a car for that.... Well, you should start looking for a part time job, then.¡±


    Jack slowly murmured. ¡°Well, I''ll think about it. No rush, right?¡±


    Jack had to think about it. Learning how to drive was always high up on his list of things to do, no doubt. As soon as he got over this stupid phobia of being in a moving car, then the first thing he would do is to go out and find a part-time work. Maybe he''d flip burgers for a few month, save up and buy himself a beater. Before that, he''d get the licence too.


    In all honesty, though, he had to overcome this crippling fear. Because he had things to do. His thirst for vengeance cried for satisfaction, and he had no intention of letting that call go unanswered. Didn''t matter how far away this dream was, he was determined to make it happen. After all, he was a Super now. He had the potential.


    ¡°Yes, no rush. Please, don''t force yourself, Jack. There is time. Remember, one step at a time.¡±


    Min-jung couldn''t hide her worries about her son as she tried to sound reassuring. She used her husband''s oft-repeated line, hoping she''d get through to Jack. She was right, of course. Jack could not rush things. Even he had to admit that, albeit unwillingly.


    Jack''s first problem was his ability to sleep ¨C or the lack thereof. He currently needed medication for that. Without it, a super strong bout of insomnia would kick him in the head, making him dead tired just trying to close his eyes and sleep. Because of this, he had been popping in pills every single day. Even that was losing its effectiveness, though, after a month of constant abuse.


    Without sleep, Jack couldn''t gain access to that dream world in order to manipulate the stored red souls in his body. So far, he hadn''t found a way to control them when not in slumber. Nothing seemed to work. He wasn''t sure whether such a thing was even possible at all.


    And to add to his consternation, his stock of souls had depleted greatly. Jack had a pretty good idea how to procure more souls but the mere thoughts of it alone made him feel like a monster.


    He knew that someone had to die near him. Only then would he be able to absorb those red mist-like things escaping the body of the dying person.


    Jack confirmed this fact while he was in the hospital, still ¡°recovering¡±. There was a time when he went on a stroll to see if Nick was alright. He was still in a coma, covered in head to toe with bandages. Jack spoke to Nick''s parents who were there at the time. They seemed to have aged ten years from all the worrying.


    After saying goodbyes, Jack then continued to roam the corridors. Since he was in a hospital, he figured that there would be patients on the death''s door here. As morbid as that sounded, he had to see if the only way to gain red souls was through someone dying.


    Lo and behold, it was just as he suspected.


    There was a soldier who was suffering from a gunshot wound. The surgery to save his life went well but he hadn''t recovered from the medically induced coma. When Jack glanced into the soldier''s room, he saw a faint trace of red mist slowly rising from his still body. The man was slowly succumbing to his injuries despite all the work that was done to save him. The soldier''s wife sat on a chair next to his bed, reading a book out aloud for her husband, hoping she could get through to him somehow.


    There was another, a former colonel or some such. He was dying of cancer. Again, a slim, flickering mist of red was rising from his body when Jack peered into his room.


    No one else around could see the red mist, that much Jack was sure of ¨C absolutely no one, not the doctors, not the nurses, not the visiting families, not even the ones dying themselves.


    That''s when Jack knew. That he was the only person, so far anyway, who could see these red souls. And that someone had to die if he were to acquire more of it. No matter how he cut it, what he had was the kind of horrible superpower nobody would want to be saddled with. No, calling it a curse was far more appropriate.


    Not knowing what her son was thinking at the moment, Min-jung frowned and asked as she pulled out of the lane, turning into the school district.


    ¡°Jack. Remember what I said, back in the hospital? If there''s something bothering you, please talk to me. Instead of keeping it inside, it''s better to talk to someone about it.¡±


    Jack looked at his mother. She had a worried frown on her face. And that made Jack feel even worse. Of course he wanted to talk to her, tell her everything. But how could he burden her with this... secret, of her son being a goddamn cursed Super?


    There was a layer of suspicion here already. His recovery was way too fast. Jack had made a big mistake with that. But since the doctors, including his own mother, couldn''t find anything wrong with him, the suspicion remained just that, a suspicion.


    The rate of a Super being born in the human populace was one in a million. In the entire world, active number of Supers did not exceed a couple thousand at any given time. But since they had been around as far as the dawn of the time, regular people accepted them as a part of their daily lives.


    Hell, most of these Supers didn''t even live a life as a hero or a villain, simply choosing to live like the rest of humanity, normal and hidden from the scrutiny of the world.


    Whatever the case may be, Jack didn''t feel right telling her that her son was a Super, a cursed one at that. There was a lingering fear of rejection that was hanging around his mouth like a bitter aftertaste. So he chose not to tell her. Nor to anyone, really ¨C especially if he was planning to get stronger and go after Master Evil and Falcon himself. And potentially, kill them.


    As crazy as that sounded, Jack was determined to succeed.


    ¡°Well, we''ve arrived,¡± said Min-jung.


    Jack looked out of the window and took in the sights of his school. He saw other kids hurriedly leaving their cars and entering the three-story building, busy chatting away and greeting one another.


    ¡°Hey, that''s my friends. I''ll go first. Talk to you later.¡±


    Dana left the car first and ran after the group of her friends in the distance. That left Jack alone with his mother for a brief time.


    ¡°Jack, have a good day, okay? And if you feel unwell, or there''s something that does not feel right about your body, just give me a call, alright?¡±


    Min-jung spoke affectionately.


    Jack breathed in deeply and nodded. ¡°I will. Later, mom.¡±


    As he exited the car, he felt like everyone stopped what they were doing and now were looking at him. Were they pointing at him in a hushed whisper? He suddenly felt naked and vulnerable, and boy, was it unpleasant or what. Gritting his teeth, he resolutely walked forward, trying to ignore the stares.


    But one of the enhancements he did to himself in haste was coming back to bite him in the ass: his hearing. He thought that it might prove useful but right now.... he was regretting it, big time.


    Jack could hear the whispers of other kids as he walked by, and as he expected, the contents of those whispers weren''t so cool. They were whispering stuff like, ¡°How come is he the only one who survived?¡±


    Or: ¡°He looks completely fine. How the hell? Was he even on the same bus?¡±


    Some even said, ¡°I bet you he used someone as a shield to protect himself. That''s why he''s okay and no one else lived.¡±


    Jack had half a mind to bust the heads of all the idiots here but didn''t. He had to ignore them and move on. Getting angry at these fools would only waste his energy. No, he was already angry at someone else. At two in particular.


    In his fury, he failed to notice that there was one more pair of eyes staring at his departing figure, her brows deeply knitted as if in a deep contemplation.


    ~


    The school was, in short, a torture.


    No one from his previous class survived the trip other than Nick and seeing that he couldn''t attend the school even if he wanted to, it was only natural Jack had to ¡°transfer¡± to another class


    Once there, his new classmates were, outwardly at least, showing concern for his well-being. And also showed more concern for what he had to go through. Teachers treated Jack with the proverbial kiddie gloves ¨C as if he was an expensive glassware that could break apart with the slightest touch. Being politically correct and all that ¨C and Jack got tired of it, real fast.


    But then, Jack still felt those accusatory pointing fingers whenever his back was turned. It wasn''t even his imagination, either. Their hot, curious and deeply suspicious stares burned into his skin like a scalding iron. It was definitely not a good feeling. Worse still, Sue, Nick''s current girlfriend, came to see him during one of the breaks.


    She was all in tears. She was very much torn up about Nick''s condition. She said she was glad Jack was okay, that she was thankful for him getting Nick off the bus in time. That action had saved Nick''s life, although he was in a vegetative state right now, unresponsive and fighting for every breath.


    Sue''s crying face made sure the rest of his day remained as miserable as humanly possible. Jack just simply couldn''t get past her tearful face.


    The faces of the parents of dead classmates, the faces of Nick''s parents, Sue''s face.... And the faces of souls, trapped inside of him. The ones where he was ruthlessly absorbing for the sake of revenge. All those faces haunted him throughout the day. Thus, it was a pure torture. He was regretting coming here.


    After school ended, his new classmates dispersed for their club activities. As for Jack, he belonged to the track and field but was excused due to his current circumstances. Again, he didn''t know whether to laugh or cry at his situation.


    In the end, he had nowhere else to go. He didn''t want to be in the library, didn''t want to remain in an empty and foreign classroom, didn''t want to be inside the gymnasium ¨C basically, he didn''t feel like he belonged anywhere. So, he sat on the bleachers and forlornly watched everyone else do their stuff. No one approached him, nor sat anywhere near him. At least the late afternoon sun felt pleasant on his face, which was nice.


    Jack figured that his alienation was partly him putting up a wall no one could surmount. But there was also an element of other kids thinking that he was having a hard time adjusting. It was them being considerate to his plight, trying to give him some space to work his sh*t out.


    In reality, Jack''s mind was furiously revolving quickly around, hoping that the time might pass by faster this way. It was intolerable, sitting there and having people stare at him like as if he was a zoo animal.


    The revolving mind soon arrived at the gloomy topic of his revenge, and the noises of the kids slowly faded into the background as Jack thought about what he needed to do. The need to get stronger was growing inside him like a festering wound but he had no quick and dirty way to achieve the desired growth. He thought about hanging around morgues the whole day, but after a bit of thought, gave up on that idea.


    When he went to the cemetery for the funerals of his classmates, he couldn''t spot a single red soul there. Not a single one. Jack thought that if a soul wasn''t absorbed right away then it would simply dissipate into the thin air ¨C or head straight to the gates of judgment or something.


    So, that left him with what, exactly? Could he lurk around in a local hospital the whole day without being accused of some unsavory conduct, waiting around for someone to croak? That was not a time efficient way. Jack needed another method. A legal method. One that wouldn''t land him in hot waters. He just couldn''t come up with a good one yet.


    As he was buried deeply in his thoughts, Jack didn''t notice a presence coming up to stand behind him.


    ¡°Hey, got a sec?¡±


    Jack stiffened when he heard the voice from behind. He quickly turned around to see a girl. She was around Dana''s height, dirty brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and of a slim build. She also wore a pair of spectacles that were pretty..... thick. Her dress code was a standard fair, nothing fancy ¨C perfectly anonymous. Her face was pleasant but again, a plain and anonymous, as if that was the way she wanted to remain.


    Jack didn''t know this girl. Try as he might, he couldn''t even recall whether such a girl actually attended the same school as him.


    ¡°Uh, can I help you with something? Do I know you?¡± Jack reflexively asked.


    ¡°No. But I want to talk to you,¡± said the glasses girl, sharply.


    Jack thought there was some kind of glint in her eyes which was sort of unnerving. He had seen the very same eyes almost every morning in the mirror for the last couple of weeks, after all. Thinking that this, whatever this was, might lead to unnecessary trouble, Jack declined promptly.


    ¡°Sorry, but can you leave me alone? I don''t feel like talking to anyone at the moment.¡±


    ¡°That''s too bad, because what I wanted to say, it''s important.¡±


    The girl shrugged her shoulders. Then she leaned in closer and whispered. ¡°I know your secret, you see. That you''re a Super now.¡±


    Jack sucked in a cold breath. Sweating heavily, he studied the girl''s face intently and found the trace of that strange glint burning even stronger than before in her eyes.


    ¡°Dunno what you''re talking about,¡± Jack curtly replied.


    To his reply, she teasingly chuckled. ¡°It''s okay. I''m a Super, too.¡±


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 4: The Alliance

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 4: The Alliance</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Jack was bewildered at this approach and needed a second or two to get a grip on his confusion.


    Once recovered somewhat, he realized where they were. Jack quickly motioned the girl to follow him and went behind the bleachers, away from the prying eyes and potentially disastrous spread of gossip.


    The girl followed him back without saying anything else. After reaching the relative hidden depth of the bleachers, Jack turned around to study the girl for a moment or two, trying to analyze the situation. She stood there, her hands in the jean''s pockets, slightly biting her lower lip, waiting. It seemed like that she was trying to appear tough and strong. Maybe even street-smart, if such a thing was applicable in the middle of a comfy suburbia.


    Well, it was not really important to Jack how she appeared on the surface. All he wanted to know was why this unknown girl saw fit to bother him in the first place.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    Jack''s cautious voice slowly drifted towards the girl in glasses.


    She frowned but didn''t fail to continue with her tough girl act. ¡°What the.... You aren''t even going to ask me for my name first?!¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry. Right, your name? I''m sure you know mine already.¡±


    She shook her head and clicked her tongue, trying to sound a bit disappointed. ¡°OK, whatever. Fine. I''m Taylor Finn. Same year as you, Mercer, just a different class.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so that''s that. What do you want, Finn?¡±


    ¡°Call me Taylor. The only person who gets called Finn is my old man.¡± Taylor quipped as she adjusted her glass.


    ¡°Yeah, alright, Taylor it is. Okay, for the third time, what is it you want from me?¡±


    ¡°Well, it''s simple, really ¨C I want your cooperation. I need your help on.... something.¡±


    Her face hardened when she said that, a dark shadow looming over her expression. Jack noticed the change and thought that Taylor must have found it difficult to openly talk about her issues. He quietly narrowed his eyes and studied the girl again, wondering what could be her troubles.


    Taylor sure as hell didn''t resemble a Super, at least to his eyes. She didn''t look like one of those types that relied on the overwhelming brute strength to overcome whatever problems she faced. Maybe, she was one of those that relied on some sort of crazy, mind-bending psychic powers.


    Was she one of those who chose to live quietly, not bothering with all that Superheroes and villains stuff? Jack mused inwardly. Whatever her situation was, he wasn''t going to just nod his head and say ¡°I''m all yours.¡±


    Nope, he had to be cautious when not knowing the real intention of the other party, never mind the fact that he didn''t even know what this girl actually wanted from him. Finding out that bit out first before deciding on what to do took precedence over all else.


    ¡°Assuming that I''m a Super like you say, why me? You don''t even know anything about me. Hell, until today, I didn''t know we went to the same school,¡± Jack looked straight into her eyes and declared. ¡°Besides, why should I help you in the first place?¡±


    Taylor grunted and shrugged her shoulders again. ¡°True. I know nothing about you. But I heard the rumors, here and there. More importantly, though.... You have gone through some horrible sh*t. I''ve been observing you for the whole day and I saw how everyone is treating you. They obviously don''t want to.... I don''t know, hurt your feelings or something. That''s perfect for what I have in mind, you see. Well, and also.... you''re the only other Super that I know personally.¡±


    ¡°....You wanna use my status as a victim of a tragedy? What the hell? You serious?¡± Jack looked at Taylor with a pair of disbelieving eyes.


    She basically wanted to exploit his pain and suffering for her own gain, something no sane or caring human being would even dare to do. A layer of anger covered Jack''s disbelief, nearly making him swear out at her.


    Taylor grimaced a little before continuing on. ¡°Yeah. Dead serious. Otherwise, why would I even tell you my secret in the first place? Look. Because of my powers, I know that you''re a Super. And that''s why you healed up really quickly. You help me, and I won''t tell anyone about you and your condition.¡±


    The penny dropped, and Jack groaned aloud. ¡°A blackmail?!¡±


    He slowly kneaded his pulsing temples. Taylor was giving him a fresh set of headaches with this crap. Not to mention, it was a big one too.


    ¡°This is just great. Great!! Wow. But gotta say, you trying to blackmail me sounds pretty stupid, don''t you think? I mean, wouldn''t that mean you need to expose your secret in the process if I don''t agree to your conditions? Then what will you do? Hell, did you even think this through?¡±


    Jack''s voice rose in anger as he reproached Taylor. A flash of anger flickered in her eyes in response. She clenched her fist inside the pockets and spoke, her voice low and guttural.


    ¡°Obviously, I have thought this through. This is the only card I have left. If you don''t help me.... I will do it, you know?¡±


    Jack felt the intensity of his headache increasing at a rate of knots. What a completely unexpected development this was, especially for his first day back in school.


    What should Jack do now? He couldn''t come up with a suitable idea on the spot. He didn''t want the world to know his real secret, not yet. Sure, it might get exposed sooner or later, but he would have preferred it be later ¨C much, much later down the line.


    Most importantly, Jack didn''t want to alert the Guild of Heroes to the fact that he was a Super ¨C if they got the wind of it, then that would mean him landing on their attention, his profile registered, asked to work under constraints, rules and regulations and all that crap.


    If Jack wanted to kill Master Evil and Falcon, to get his revenge, those things were absolutely a hindrance he didn''t need.


    He wondered if he could call her bluff. Was it worth the risk? He thought that at least he should give it a shot, see how she reacted.


    ¡°You know what? This is nothing but conjecture. I''m not a Super, and you don''t have any solid proof that I am one, either. I''m leaving.¡±


    Jack turned on his heels and began to walk away. He took only a step before Taylor interrupted his escape by quickly moving in front of him. There was no way she''d let him walk away just like that.


    ¡°Wait!! Hold on a sec. We can help each other out, you know?¡± She sounded flustered as she spread her arms out. ¡°Look, my power ¨C it allows me to tell if a person is a Super or not and when someone is nearby. It''s like a radar. And when I''m close enough, I can even roughly tell what that person can do!!¡±


    ¡°Good for you,¡± quipped Jack. He sounded not interested. Inwardly, though, he was frowning at her attempt to sway him. Not that he''d give her the time of a day, since she had the galls to blackmail a total stranger.


    ¡°I''m serious. That''s how I knew you are a Super, right away!!¡±


    Jack waved his hand dismissively in the air and moved past her. ¡°I don''t know what you were expecting, but this is the only possible result from trying to blackmail someone. You earn hostility, not a pledge of friendship. So, get the hell out of my way.¡±


    Jack wanted to sound like a tough guy. He really did. A man''s pride and all that. But inwardly, he was actually bracing himself for more of her threatening words or antics. If Taylor was to put the squeeze on, then he wouldn''t be able to persist. But, to his great relief, none came his way.


    Wondering what happened, he turned around to see if Taylor was still there. Well, that was a mistake. Because, he ended up seeing the face of a girl nearly in tears. She was valiantly holding back the tide as hard as she could.


    Upon realizing that she was not faking it, Jack was startled and began to feel a guilty conscience creeping in. But now that he had hopped on this train, it was too late to back off. So, he steeled his heart and spoke some words he thought were necessary to end this relationship, or whatever this was, from developing any further.


    ¡°Look, this conversation never happened. I don''t know you, you don''t know me. Let''s keep it that way. Don''t talk to me about this, again.¡±


    Jack didn''t want to sound like a jerk, but somehow, he came off as one. It left a strong sour taste in his mouth. Too late to take back what he said now, though.


    He turned around again and left Taylor where she stood. He felt really bad as he did so, but found some sort of solace with knowing that he had his own deadly battle to overcome. He simply couldn''t mind someone else''s fight right now.


    If she was a Super, then she''d better rely on her powers to solve her problems. After all, that was what they were for, wasn''t it? Still, the appeasement of his guilt lasted all of ten seconds. Yep, he still felt like a massive bastard in the end.


    ~


    After school, Min-jung came to fetch Jack. Bob was still tied up at his work and so, it became her responsibility to provide the ride home. She didn''t really mind as her schedules were empty anyways.


    As for Dana, she had gone ahead already with one of her friends. Jack thought that her actions were kind of like abandoning him behind which was really uncool. But he didn''t have the heart to blame her, as the unbearable atmosphere of the morning commute was entirely his fault. Who would want to endure another round of that torture? Dana had made the right call to hitch a ride with someone else. If the positions were reversed, he''d probably do the same. Probably.


    The afternoon ride proved to be just as challenging as in the morning. Jack gripped the armrests tightly, a thin film of sweat forming on his forehead. He shook whenever the undulations on the road''s surface made Min-jung''s SUV rock a little. He gritted his teeth and endured.


    To keep his mind off things, Jack recalled the encounter with Taylor Finn, and the unpleasant way it went down, leaving behind a bitter taste until now.


    Did I play that wrong? Should I have said and reacted differently?


    His thoughts were muddled, wavering from one side to the other. He felt a ton of regret for saying those things at Taylor. But then again, a part of him also chimed in, saying that she got what she deserved for trying to blackmail him.


    Whatever, that parting face of hers really bothered Jack. He couldn''t be sure what that face meant. Why did it look like.... a face of agony? A face of someone ready to call it quits, out of sheer desperation? Like one of the faces trapped in the red soul crystals inside him? Maybe not as desperate nor as horrifying but not too far off, either.


    Jack grimaced and sighed deeply at himself. The ride home was tough on him but with these thoughts tumbling around inside his head, he felt like vomiting everything in his gut. It sure was a disgusting sensation to endure. How the hell did he become like this?


    He shook his head and tried to sort out his head first. That meant organizing everything Taylor told him today. Then he remembered what she said about her powers.


    What was that about her powers? Something about being a radar, right?


    Jack''s attempt to calm his shaking gut seemed to work, his innards tumbling around less. He felt pretty pathetic about having a phobia of riding cars and being on the road. It was a ridiculous affliction to suffer from and that if he wanted to remain sane for the rest of his life, he needed to get over this ASAP.


    Frustratingly, though, Jack knew he was not capable of overcoming this fear with his own power just yet and needed a way to distract himself, even if temporarily. It''s just that, his choice of distraction this time was maybe not a best one.


    Huh. If what she said was true, then.... uh, what? She can tell who''s a Super and who isn''t? That''s not that good a power to have, isn''t it?


    Jack slowly wiped the sweat off his brows. Taking in another deep breath. His heart beat just a tad steadier, calmer.


    Hmm. Whatever help she wanted from me, whatever she needed me for, I guess her powers aren''t really suitable for the job. I mean, a radar wouldn''t let her shoot a plasma beam from her fingers or something....


    But wait a sec, how does she know what my powers are, exactly? Even I''m not 100% sure what it is.


    Jack leaned back on the seat but a bump on the road surprised him too much and he nearly jumped out. He gripped the armrest so hard, it was now this close to breaking into pieces. His calming heart began to race again.


    Whew. Calm down, boy. Calm the Eff down!! Mom''s not going to crash. Nothing''s going to happen. Just.... relax.


    Right, Taylor''s powers. She said it''s a radar...


    Wait a minute. A radar? Could she...


    Can she locate someone with her powers? Like a real radar?


    Can she help me find Falcon and Master Evil?!


    Jack became speechless as soon as this possibility rose up in his mind. If true, Taylor could potentially help him locate his two elusive targets, then....


    His heart, which was slowly calming down, began to race again.


    As it was now, the whereabouts of Falcon and Master Evil were unknown. Additionally, no one had a clue whatsoever to work with. That was one of the reasons why the carrying out of the justice was literally taking forever.


    But he''d be able to find them and.... kill them if Taylor''s powers were legit. He''d be able to avenge the deaths of his classmates. Of Emily. And Nick. And himself.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    No, no wait. I don''t know if that''s her powers. Maybe it''s nothing as fancy as that. I mean, I''ve never heard of a Superpower that can locate someone anywhere in the world.


    No, I must ask Taylor first. Find out the truth, get the clarification, whatever.


    Jack nodded slowly. Suddenly, like a bright ray of sun piercing through the gloomy clouds, he saw the path open up. He knew exactly what to do.


    Jack would go back to school tomorrow and confront Taylor, make her explain more about her powers. Depending on what Taylor might say, he would then modify his plans accordingly.


    Regarding what Taylor wanted from Jack, he figured it shouldn''t be too much of a problem. No, it was like him feeling confident of carrying it out no matter what it was. Whether it was some sort of an illegal activity or something just as shady, he didn''t care. As long as her powers were useful....


    Jack was prepared to jump through multiple hoops just for a chance to find the two murdering bastards.


    Jack made his mind up. This was the path he chose to tread, so he was going to step on it regardless of the cost. He was too determined to give up here.


    A deep, hardened grimace formed on Jack''s face without him noticing. It was a different kind of grimace from the one before, the one formed from the fear. This new expression originated from his determination. Thus, its intense atmosphere was on a whole new level.


    So much so, even Min-jung couldn''t help but notice it.


    She saw that her son''s expression was different from the one he had in the morning. Incorrectly, she figured this was because something not so good had happened in school. There was this uncomfortable silence in the car that some random music on the stereo couldn''t fix, and she wasn''t too keen on staying quiet all the way home so it seemed like a good time to break the invisible wall.


    ¡°So, Jack. How was your first day back? Anything interesting happened?¡±


    Min-jung glanced at her son and asked.


    ¡°No, nothing much,¡± Jack replied mirthlessly.


    ¡°Did the paparazzi bother you at school? I thought that the security the school board hired were doing its job.¡±


    ¡°No, that''s not it,¡± Jack shook his head. ¡°Don''t worry, mom. I can handle it.¡±


    His voice was inadvertently raised at the end of his sentence, which surprised Min-jung just a little. To her eyes, Jack was clearly struggling to cope. Even though she was not a regular surgeon or a qualified psychiatrist, she could still tell all the signs of stress her son exhibited.


    She sighed deeply. The simple, short ride to and fro between home and the school was stressing him out this much. And lest she forgets, there was the matter of insomnia too. On top of that, Jack''s level of physical fitness was abnormal as well. Min-jung could not help but worry, whether he was finally showing the signs or not.


    She also felt helpless that unless Jack opened up by himself, no matter what, it''d be very difficult for Min-jung to help her son with his problems.


    A month passed by since that terrible incident. She''d hoped that her son might get better as the time moved on but maybe, she miscalculated here.


    ¡°Jack, listen. You know that I''m here for you, right? I wish you could trust me a little more. Whatever you are going through, we can handle it together. You and me, your dad, Dana ¨C we are a family. We can help each other, if you just talk to us.¡±


    Jack gritted his teeth and nodded. He chose not to speak for fear of inadvertently shouting at his mom just like now. This damnable phobia was making him do things he''d never do normally. How he hated himself for being scared. He needed to get a grip.


    Jack knew that once he got his revenge, then everything will be alright. That, everything will go back to where it was.


    ~


    Next morning''s school run was just as tough. It was Bob''s turn to give his kids the ride and his four-door sedan, although possessing an altogether far smoother ride quality compared to Min-jung''s over-sized SUV, still had one or two instances of going over potholes, which caused a loud thunk to transmit into the cabin and upset Jack''s already weakened mind.


    He nearly chose to stay at home and forget about this whole ¡°going to school¡± business completely. He really did. But in the end, finding out the truths of Taylor''s powers proved to be too tempting. He couldn''t wait another minute to get closer to his end goal.


    After a sweaty and nerve-jarring ride, Jack could finally breathe easy as soon as he left the car and set foot on the school ground. Immediately, he focused his mind and began searching for Taylor''s shadow among the crowd of students hurrying to enter the school. Disappointingly, his first search was fruitless; he didn''t see her.


    Jack figured that, since she did say something about them being in the same year, his scope of search should be confined to the specific section of the school building where his own class was located in. That sounded simpler to look into.


    In order to maintain the veil of normalcy, he decided not to ask others for more information or wander around during class hours, lest he roused suspicions from the overactive imaginations of the hormonal teenagers.


    Jack paid a lot of extra attention during the breaks between the periods. Kids swarmed the corridors like an ocean of bodies and it was harder than expected to find Taylor, even if he was pretty sure she was among the crowd.


    In the end, though, he failed to find her this way as well. His search left him empty-handed. She was just nowhere to be found. It was an odd thing, as if Taylor was actively in hiding.


    As if she didn''t want to be found in the first place by anyone, including Jack.


    Well, if her abilities are exactly like a radar, then I guess she can hide from people trying to locate her, right?


    When Jack thought like this, his desire to find Taylor and get the truth out of her took on an urgent note, to a point where it might explode out into the open like a bomb. He felt impatient, wanting to scour the entire premise of the school just to find the glasses-wearing girl. He was pretty damn sure she was somewhere nearby.


    Somehow, he managed to calm down enough to wait until the lunch break. He figured that everyone had to eat lunch, including Taylor. Well, unless she was eating alone somewhere....


    Jack rushed to the cafeteria the moment the bells rang. He was almost the first to arrive, and also the first to earn the ire of the lunch ladies as he didn''t immediately stand in the line and obediently go for his meal like other students but rather, stood around in the doorway, searching. He even thought about climbing on top of a table to get a better look, but refrained after seeing the annoyed gazes of the lunch ladies.


    As the starved kids streamed in and started to fill up the cafeteria, it got a bit harder to find someone of Taylor''s height. But he kept at it.


    Finally, his diligence paid off.


    He saw Taylor in the distance, walking alone towards the cafeteria. She had her head down, avoiding running into anyone and carefully weaving her way between the throngs of other students. If it won''t for Jack specifically searching for her, he would have missed her completely by the way she was hiding her presence.


    Since there was some distance before she could actually enter the cafeteria, Jack chose to go out and intercept her halfway. The sooner the better it was for him, after all.


    As he began to row past the moving bodies, an unexpected interruption to his plans appeared in the form of his younger sister, Dana. She was with a couple of her friends as she entered the cafeteria when she spotted her brother hastily leaving.


    She quickly moved to his side and stopped him, calling for her friends to create an obstacle at this crucial juncture in his quest for vengeance.


    ¡°Hey, Jack. Finished already?! Where are you going?¡± Dana grabbed onto his arm playfully and tugged at him. ¡°Mind accompanying us for a while?¡±


    ¡°No can do. There''s something I gotta do first.¡±


    ¡°Oww, don''t be like that. Join us,¡± Dana pouted like a spoiled child and kept on tugging at his arm.


    Jack smiled awkwardly at her. He wanted to brush her off nice and easy but he could see that Dana was being quite insistent. However, his ¡°quest¡± had to take the precedence over her feelings, at least for now.


    ¡°Hey, Dana. Can I take a rain check? I''ll make it up to you later. I promise.¡±


    Dana shook her head. ¡°Nope. I got you now, so you''re coming with me. No buts or ifs, okay? It''s fine, right, guys?¡± She turned to ask her friends, whom all nodded their consents.


    Jack felt helpless. He was going to firmly say no, but then, Taylor brushed past him, casting a short, sideways glance at his way. Jack couldn''t see her face well so it was difficult to tell what her full expression was like, but for some reason, he thought it was not particularly a good one.


    That slight feeling of guilt from the day before reared its ugly head and Jack felt like crap, watching the back of Taylor walking further away. Oblivious to all this, Dana successfully managed to drag her brother back in the cafeteria.


    The rest of the lunch went okay, considering. Jack was surrounded by Dana and her friends, and they talked about girl stuff which he found almost completely indecipherable. He mused to himself that it was also like this back when he was still going out with Emily, where he earned a plenty of her ire due to his ignorance as well. He was glad to find that at least in this regard, he hadn''t changed that much after all.


    Thinking about his past with Emily made his resolution to satisfy the thirst for vengeance that only firmer. While only half listening to his sister, Jack paid as much attention as possible to where Taylor was. She sat by herself in the corner and ate her meal silently, making him wonder whether this girl had any friends in the school at all. Not a single person came up to her and engaged in conversation with the girl.


    Eventually, Taylor seemed to finish with her meal and was about to leave. Jack thought that she looked like in a hurry to get going.


    The reason for her sudden desire to leave became apparent when a group of girls began surrounding her. Jack instantly recognized them and the person leading it, which caused him to break out in an unhappy frown.


    ¡°Oh, that can''t be good,¡± Jack groaned softly.


    The leader of the group was Cindy McAlister, one of those bitchy high school queen bee archetype that liked to bully nerds and the like. She was infamous for laying down the law, her law, on several cliche-ridden things, like who could talk to her or even breathe the same air as her. Since she was also quite popular with the members of the opposite sex, she got away with a fair amount of nasty behavior. A flick of her abundant golden locks and a flirtatious wink of her lashes were enough to absolve most of her crimes and that emboldened her remarkably in the past year or two.


    Her posse ¨C or menagerie, depending on who you asked ¨C consisted of ass-kissers and her BFFs, but in truth, they were all her soldiers, for a lack of better description. This time, Cindy had three of her ¡°friends¡± to aid her.


    Even Jack could see the direction this was going in. He quickly got up from the seat, drawing the focus of his tablemates.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± asked Dana, puzzled.


    ¡°I''ll be right back.¡±


    By the time he crossed half way through the busy cafeteria, the trouble had already started. Cindy''s group had cornered Taylor and isolated her, and one of the girls ¨C Jack couldn''t remember her name ¨C was doing an impression of a disdainful ghetto babe mouthing off her rival in love. Or something like that. The other members of Cindy''s clique were simply looking on with the expressions of a cold sneer.


    Unfortunately, Jack could hear the contents of that seemingly unnecessary beratement thanks to his slightly improved hearing. What he heard ticked him off.


    Taylor''s get up was the first to be criticized. The implications of the remarks were that the bespectacled girl was a dyke and all that. Jack wanted to retort that, in this day and age, who cared which way you leaned? Next to come under the verbal assault was her father. Apparently, he wasn''t good enough for this school, calling him a slave at one point, even.


    Taylor''s expression was understandably dark. She wordlessly tried to avoid confronting the group and wisely she moved past the cordon to leave. But then, another one of Cindy''s goons shoved her from behind and as a result, Taylor took a nasty tumble forward. The half-eaten contents of her food tray spilled noisily on the floor.


    The whole thing had drawn enough attention of the other kids by then. To Jack''s dismay, he found some of the other kids were chuckling at the misfortune of Taylor, while some were eyeing the whole situation with irritation.


    There were those with eyes of pity too, but no one tried to help Taylor. The reputation of Cindy was too well known and it seemed like no one wanted to interfere.


    Jack increased his pace and came closer. And as he got near, he suddenly realized that this scene playing out in the cafeteria was rather a familiar one.


    Holy crap. Now I remember. There was this one girl who kept on getting pushed around by Cindy and her gang. It was Taylor all this time.


    Crap, I haven''t even noticed it until now....


    Jack felt his face getting hot from the shame.


    He felt shameful for not trying to break up this.... crap before. He could have tried to save her, at least once, but was afraid of earning the anger of the queen bee, just like other kids here.


    His previous cowardice was like an ice-cold knife slowly gouging at his sides. Well, things were different now. He had the strengths to back himself up, even if he couldn''t readily expose it yet.


    By the time he got close enough, he could hear the scornful laughter of the posse of bitchy and somewhat vindictive girls. With Cindy as the lynchpin, they were jeering Taylor as if she was a lowly creature born solely for ridicule.


    Jack saw that the glasses girl was fighting back tears as she tried to get up but she got pushed back down again. She let out a whimper as she fell down on the spilled foodstuffs. That drew in more of that grating, derisive laughter.


    It was getting on Jack''s nerves quite a bit.


    ¡°That''s enough.¡±


    He spoke in a firm voice, drawing the attention of the group away. They seemed taken back at his intervention and eyed him suspiciously. As their leader, Cindy had to say something, so she did.


    ¡°This doesn''t concern you, Mercer. Walk away.¡±


    Jack ignored her and bent down to offer his hand. ¡°Hey, you okay? Can you stand?¡±


    Taylor nodded silently but she pushed his offered hand away and glared at him for a second, before trying to leave once more. Of course, Cindy and her goons wouldn''t allow that to happen.


    When they tried to block Taylor again, Jack raised his voice again.


    ¡°I said, that''s enough!! What''s wrong with you people?!¡±


    Cindy cocked an eyebrow at him and raised her clearly irritated voice.


    ¡°Mercer, stay out of this, if you know what''s good for you. We don''t need a wannabe hero here.¡±


    ¡°No, you back the hell off, if you got a functioning brain in that head of yours.¡±


    Jack spat out aggressively before walking away himself. He ignored the indignant cursings coming from the girls behind him and followed Taylor out of the cafeteria.


    Somehow, their footsteps led them to the back of the bleachers. Taylor was waiting for him there, leaning against the structure and trying her best to look nonchalant and tough. It failed to convince him, though.


    ¡°That ¨C that happen a lot?¡± Jack asked her, pointing behind him, towards the cafeteria building.


    ¡°I thought we don''t know each other? What''s changed?¡±


    Taylor''s wet eyes were sharp, like daggers boring into his skin. Jack felt that pang of guilt, the shame, rise back up again. He forcibly repressed it and shook his head.


    ¡°Look, I''m sorry about what I said yesterday. I came off sounding like an asshole.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you know. That''s just great,¡± said Taylor sarcastically.


    Her reaction this time ticked off Jack slightly, so he also spoke in kind. ¡°Well, what did you expect after trying to blackmail me? Of course I was going to get angry.¡± Sighing, Jack then leaned on the bleachers next to her. Scratching the back of his head, Jack wondered how he should broach the subject of her powers.


    After a moment or two of deliberation, he decided to use Cindy and her gang. At least they would be useful for something this way.


    ¡°Okay, I''m taking a wild guess here, but.... That help you mentioned ¨C is it against Cindy and her cronies?¡±


    ¡°You are sharper than you look,¡± quipped Taylor.


    Jack groaned and shook his head. ¡°That girl.... she''s trouble. Not sure how you landed on her crosshairs, but ¨C fine. I''ll cooperate. I''ll help you, but you help me out too.¡±


    ¡°With what, exactly? Aren''t you afraid of associating with a dork like me? Becoming a target of the queen bee and her pack of mad, rabid dogs?¡±


    Jack shook his head. ¡°Well, don''t worry about that. If she''s got a brain then she won''t do anything, at least not for a while. As for what you can help me with.... well, first, I want to know more about your powers.¡±


    Jack said it up front, in order to ensure there wouldn''t be any misunderstandings later.


    Taylor narrowed her eyes suspiciously. ¡°My powers? Why? Haven''t I told you enough about them already?¡±


    ¡°No, what I have in mind.... is this. Can you help me locate someone specific? Like, a Super?¡±


    Jack asked cautiously, feeling that how he broached the topic here would make the world of difference. He sure as hell didn''t want Taylor to break off their tacit agreement. That would be a disastrous result for him.


    Taylor''s eyes narrowed. She slowly adjusted the glasses on her nose and went silent for a long while.


    Finally, she asked. ¡°Why?¡±


    Jack took a deep breath and he told her the reason.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 5: The Practice

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 5: The Practice</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    ¡°A mask. You will need a mask.¡±


    Taylor said with a deadpan expression.


    ¡°Huh? Why do I need a mask for?¡±


    Jack was slightly puzzled by her suggestion and couldn''t help but ask.


    ¡°Simple. A secret identity, Jack. It''s for keeping your identity secret from your enemies and the like. I mean, really ¨C how many Supers you know walk around bare faced? Exactly. Even Vanguard wears that gaudy wrestling mask of his.¡±


    A secret identity, eh? Jack nodded in contemplation. It was indeed true that most villains and heroes wore some type of facial wear, whether for style or safety. But Jack understood the need for keeping his identity to himself in his pursuit of vengeance.


    For one, he was going after two targets. If he missed one, then if he was not careful, his family might be in danger of retaliation. That wouldn''t do. Not at all.


    ¡°Okay. Something like a mask, huh? Maybe I should go for a simple one. Like.... uh, Zorro? Or, you know, a bandana across the lower half of my face or something.¡±


    Taylor shook her head slowly. ¡°No way. You wanna look like a bandit from a spaghetti western? No, you don''t have to think too hard about this. A dark hoodie, maybe a simple pair of goggles and it''s all good.¡±


    Jack frowned deeply and looked above at the sky. Then he exaggeratedly pointed upwards. ¡°A hoodie? In this heat? Are you trying to kill me?!¡±


    Taylor shrugged her shoulders as if she was the one being troubled with this, not him. ¡°Well, you got a better idea? Besides, we ain''t going on no Super hunting yet, you know. By the time you are actually ready to do this, then the gods of weather should be more or less accommodating to your wardrobe needs.¡±


    Jack''s frown remained, but he reluctantly agreed with Taylor''s assessment.


    Currently, it was the Saturday of the same week the two of them agreed on the pact of mutual cooperation. Jack had to deflect Cindy and her bullying attempts aimed at Taylor for the duration of the week, and it sure as hell was tiring. To think that he had to repeat this in the coming weeks... Quite frankly, he couldn''t understand why that queen bee had it out for Taylor at all. It was like an obsession. An exceedingly daft one at that.


    But anyways. Right now, it was time to worry about something else. Like, the untold reasons why he had to come here. And ¡°here¡± was a patch of untamed nature near their suburb. It was not dense enough to be called a proper forest, but still wild and untamed enough to feel alien to a teenager like Jack.


    It conspired that they lived on the opposite side of the town, Bellview, located on the outskirts of the city. That was an unhappy coincidence. A compromise had to be reached if and when they wanted to meet up. This forest was the place Taylor suggested; apparently, it was at roughly the halfway point between their respective homes.


    By being frank with Taylor ¨C meaning, everything about the red souls, including the fact that they were inside of him and that they were the reasons for his quick recovery and improved sense of hearing and such, he was able to hear the complete set of what Taylor could do as well. Give and take, so to speak.


    Of course, Jack conveniently forgot to mention the bit about the ancient civilization and the mysterious woman in his dream-like memories. He wasn''t sure what to make of those yet, so until he knew more, he was planning to keep that stuff to himself. Besides, if he mentioned the skimpily dressed woman, he feared that Taylor might see him as a pervert, or at least as a horndog. Neither would be all that conducive towards a good working relationship.


    As for Taylor''s powers, he had hit the jackpot. She did indeed possess the ability to locate a person. Granted, the overall range of this ability was not that good, and she could only discern who was a Super and who wasn''t by the "fluctuations of power," or so she claimed. She could find anyone within range, of course. That was a given. But it still had its limitations, but the fact was, she could help him find the right pair of Supers as long as they were in the range of her scope.


    She had been using it more or less to avoid dealing with the walking, talking hassles AKA Cindy McAlister and her gang. She wasn''t entirely successful in this endeavor, but it was better than nothing in her eyes.


    Anyways, Jack wasn''t really interested in her troubles although he did feign a concern ever so briefly. Their arrangement was simple enough on paper ¨C she would help him find Falcon and Master Evil while Jack would chase away the rabid pack of dogs otherwise known as Cindy and her goons by utilizing his moniker as a victim of heinous circumstances. Political Correctness FTW, or so Taylor said with a smirk.


    As for them meeting in this forest today, though ¨C it was Taylor''s decision. She called the meeting for some reason. Jack had no idea what she was thinking of, asking him to come here. If this trip was a waste of time, then he''d be royally pissed, since he had to ride his bicycle all the way from his house. That wasn''t much fun under this blazing sun even with his red soul-enhanced physique.


    ¡°Why are we here, anyway? What''s so special about this forest?¡±


    Jack asked, confused. He looked around to see what''s what, but as far as his eyes could see, besides being a wooded area, there was nothing remarkable about this place at all. In the distance, he could see the valley where the town of Bellview nested. From their position, slightly elevated on a hillside, he could see the immense expanse of houses and an occasional shopping mall jutting out in between. Sunlight reflected off from the distant moving cars, and Jack thought they kinda looked like the brightly colored M&M''s that had grown legs, busy trying to escape the mouths of naughty kids.


    ¡°We''re here because you need to find out whether you got what it takes. Also, there was something I am curious about, too.¡±


    Taylor replied with a serious face.


    ¡°Takes to do what, exactly? And what are you curious about? Is it about my powers?¡±


    Jack was now genuinely puzzled and turned his attention back on her. When he saw her serious face, he got this inexplicable feeling that something troublesome was coming his way.


    ¡°Well, firstly, you say you''re going to kill Falcon and Master Evil, right? Well.... here''s the thing ¨C can you actually do that? Kill someone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure I can. I mean, how hard can it be? Right?¡±


    Jack was pretty sure of himself and spoke without a single shred of hesitation. But obviously, Taylor wasn''t so easily convinced.


    ¡°Well, we''re here to find that out for ourselves. I''ll use my power to locate a wild animal or something, and it will be your job to kill it. Let''s see if you can do that.¡±


    Jack nodded when he heard that. Her reasoning made sense ¨C a practice run of their teamwork as well as getting him ready for what laid ahead in the future. He also felt confident that when it came to taking away the lives of the others, it wouldn''t be a problem at all.


    ¡°Okay, so that''s that. What about the second thing? The one you''re curious about?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that,¡± Taylor thoughtfully gazed at him. ¡°I was wondering whether you could extract that red soul even from an animal. If it''s possible, it''s like killing two birds with one stone, right? You get to practice killing and get stronger at the same time. Kinda like an MMORPG.¡±


    Jack''s mind shook. What Taylor said left him momentarily speechless. And then, he felt like kicking himself for not thinking up this method in the first place. What a blunder.


    If he could get the required red souls from the animals around this forest, then wouldn''t that solve his most urgent problem?


    He felt the excitement building up. Now he felt totally pumped up for this. Unsure about his ability to take away lives? He saw such a notion as nothing but a joke. He witnessed plenty of deaths. He was surrounded by it. He was baptized in the fumes of blood, both in reality and within the memory-dream world of fantasy. Oh, he was more than equipped to handle death, alright.


    But then, a slight problem reared its ugly head, cooling his enthusiasm somewhat.


    ¡°Wait a damn minute here. Hey, just how am I supposed to kill an animal? With my bare hands? You can''t be serious.¡±


    Taylor gave him a weird eye. ¡°Of course. You said you got a power boost, right? So, consequently, use your hands and feet and whatever at your disposal to kill. It''ll massively help if you could shoot lasers or something, though....¡±


    ¡°What?! Oh, come on. Don''t you have a knife or something I can use?¡± Jack asked with an exasperated look.


    ¡°Wha... why would I carry a knife?! Do I look like a thug to you, Mercer? Gee whiz, you''re like a baby. Just grab a rock or something.¡±


    ¡°A rock? ¡­.Fine. I will make do.¡±


    Jack hastily looked around; there were lots of rocks and pebbles but none were of the satisfactory sizes. Frowning, he scratched the back of his head.


    He had to spend a good few minutes digging around until he found a jagged rock that was as big as a brick. It was unwieldy as hell, but a beggar couldn''t be picky about where his next meal came from. He also felt like a caveman, holding a rock as a weapon. After swinging it for a couple of times to get used to the weight, Jack felt more or less ready, so he gave Taylor the signal with a nod.


    ¡°Let''s do this.¡±


    Taylor closed her eyes and concentrated. The world before her consciousness expanded and her mind began to melt into the surrounding area. All color drained out from her view, turning it gray.


    In this washed out world, Taylor could see, or sense, movements, their shapes marked out in black emptiness. Small things, big things, medium things, all scurrying about. Their outlines allowed her figure out what she was looking at.


    She narrowed her focus and searched for something with a bit of substance, a bit of heft. In other words, something that might pose a challenge.


    She used to come to these woods with her father, back when she was much younger. He was a big lover of camping, but because of work could not separate himself too far from his job ¨C so he settled for this forest. Because of this experience, Taylor was fairly well versed in the ecology and layout of this area.


    She knew there were quite a few wild animals roaming around here. From wild hares to coyotes, one just had to look hard enough and one would find them.


    Her usable range was normally 100 yards if she left it in the ¡°default¡± mode. Since she didn''t need the accuracy but the width, she sacrificed the former for the latter, increasing the range temporarily to well over 250 yards.


    The world further lost what little color there was remaining and became far, far grayer compared to before. A lot of details was lost but as a trade-off, she now could sense more movements on a wider scale.


    ¡°There, Southwest, roughly 200 yards out. It''s about the size of a dog,¡± said Taylor as she pointed towards the target. ¡°Let''s get cracking.¡±


    ~


    They had to extra careful when approaching the so-called game. In part, because they didn''t want to spook the animal and lose it, but mostly because they didn''t know how to stalk a prey effectively either. They were not cut out to be a natural-born hunter, it seemed.


    It was pretty comical in its ineptitude, really. The two of them stumbled about on the uneven terrain, trying to navigate the not-so-dense woods. Taylor fared far better compared to Jack who was struggling to even breath properly. Of course, he was embarrassed about his own lack of physical prowess, and swore to make the right enhancements as soon as he got the chance.


    Taylor mocked him for going out of breath so easily, telling him to exercise more.


    But secretly, Taylor was getting worried. The presence seemed to have noticed them, but instead of running away, it was lingering in the same spot for a while. This was contrary to what she knew. Even as she made the light joke, she hoped for nothing bad to happen.


    ¡°From here on, do not make a sound,¡± warned Taylor as she crouched low.


    Jack followed suit and carefully threaded his way forward, or at least he tried to.


    Past some bushes, the two of them saw the source of the movement ¨C it was a coyote. It was busy picking on something on the ground. Upon a closer inspection, it was a carcass of some poor critter. No wonder the canine was reluctant to vacate the area and abandon its meal like that.


    The blood and splattered gore were on full display. There was an acrid smell wafting in the air, too. Instantly, Jack froze on the spot before recovering from the shock, the sense of disgust and bile rising and falling rapidly in his throat.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    The coyote raised its blood-soaked head and stared back at the duo. The animal bared its fangs and aggressively growled ¨C warning the two humans to stay away from it and its meal.


    Taylor glanced at Jack''s face and was rewarded with a look of strange, twisted emotions that was, honestly speaking, scared her silly. She didn''t know that a human being was capable of making an expression like that.


    However, there was no fear-induced trembling or such. He was rigid like a statue, his eyes glued to the creature.


    ¡°Jack, you okay?¡±


    Taylor slowly tugged at the short sleeve of his T-shirt. He nodded back, but his focus still remained with the coyote up front. That was all thanks to a very thin, nearly indiscernible fog of red slowly rising from the fresh carcass.


    Jack felt the roof of his mouth go dry. He felt his heart racing. He felt the rush of adrenaline crashing into his veins like a tidal wave of a tsunami.


    ¡°Hey, don''t just stand there, talk to me,¡± Taylor quietly urged him to speak. His weird face was getting weirder by the second and it was creeping her out.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. You were right, Taylor. Looks like I can acquire the red souls by killing the wildlife.¡± Jack took a deep breath and spoke softly. ¡°I can see the red mist coming off the carcass.¡±


    Taylor squinted her eyes but she couldn''t see anything like a mist rising up from the dead critter. Not even her ability could pick up on any anomaly. She was skeptical, but as there was no other choice anyway, she decided to take his words for it.


    ¡°Okay, so that works. Now, what are you going to do about the coyote?¡±


    She asked, curious.


    ¡°Well.... I guess....¡±


    Jack mulled his options. The coyote was staring at him with venom and a bit of unease in its eyes. It started slowly pacing near the carcass as if waiting for the two humans to act.


    Jack glanced at the rock in his hands. It was brick-sized. He could throw it, but could he actually hit the animal with it? Even with his limbs enhanced, it was only by a negligible amount. No way in hell he could kill the coyote in one go.


    ¡°If you don''t do something, it''s going to run away,¡± said Taylor from his side.


    ¡°I know,¡± replied Jack, feeling slightly helpless and irritated.


    He looked at his own hands and clenched it a bit. He felt strength flowing in it. Not literal strength, no, but something a bit more like spiritual; something akin to a metaphorical sense of strength, something that was more than physical in nature.


    He returned his gazes back at the skittish coyote. He concentrated on it, on its patterns, the way it tensed its muscles and flitted about on its feet. Gradually, he began to see the potential patterns in its movement from the intense observation.


    Even before noticing it, his own body stepped forward. One step, two steps; he slowly approached the animal. It bared its fangs and continued to growl threateningly at him.


    When he got near enough, the coyote barked sharply and pounced at him. It must have had enough of this human getting closer and disturbing its meal time.


    Jack clearly discerned its trajectory. He knew the exact direction its sharp, opened and drooling maw would take. He could even accurately tell the arc of its claws brushing past his chest. So, without further ado, he tilted his body out of the way.


    Of course, nothing was that simple. Even if his senses were enhanced, it did not mean that his body could keep up.


    Jack was shocked at how slow his torso moved. It was slower than the approaching coyote by far. At this rate, he''d get hit for sure. Reflexively, he raised his right arm and punched out.


    His fist splendidly connected with the animal on the side of its head. There was a cracking noise ¨C a soft then hard sensation transmitting through his skin.


    The coyote made a loud whimper as it crashed into the ground and bounced around a couple of times before coming to a dead stop.


    Seeing this, even Taylor was left speechless. This eruption of violence was so sudden, and its end was just as so. She didn''t even have time to react.


    Jack too was dazed at his own actions. How the hell did I do that?!


    Not even once in his life did he learn how to throw a solid right hook. He never even went to a Karate dojo before. Yet, he clean punched the poor coyote and now it was out for the count. Understandably, he was seriously confused at his sudden proficiency at Kung Fu.


    It''s like.... I already knew how to.... uh, kick and punch. Is that even possible?! What the hell is going on with me? Did absorbing those red souls somehow changed me into an expert fighter??


    ¡°It''s not dead, so don''t relax just yet.¡±


    Taylor lightly tapped him on the shoulder, breaking Jack''s chain of thoughts. He quickly looked over at the animal, and indeed, it was still alive.


    The coyote slowly got up on its feet, but even he could tell it was totally dazed by the knockout punch. Jack felt he did some serious damage to it but apparently, it wasn''t quite enough to finish the job.


    ¡°So, what are you going to do?¡± Taylor asked in a somber tone. There was a certain strange emotion mixed in her voice which he vaguely noticed.


    His mind was still racing hard from the experience of hitting the animal. But oddly, it also felt quite good, this surge of adrenaline. It was different from anything and everything he had encountered in his life so far.


    ¡°I''m going to finish it,¡± Jack nodded and began to approach the whimpering, tottering coyote.


    He gripped the rock tightly and stood before the shaking canine. Its eyes were swimming and he saw there was fresh blood coming from its ear, on the side where he struck it. It was on the proverbial ropes, ready to throw in the towels. Jack even felt fear in its weak eyes.


    Suffice to say, he felt pang of guilt invade his conscience. He found himself questioning the reasons for him to kill this poor thing.


    His conviction wavered. He began second guessing himself. Was he doing the right thing? Was all this truly necessary? Did he make the right choice?


    No.


    Jack gritted his teeth as his eyes saw the sliver of red mist drifting out of the carcass of the unknown animal. He knew this road he was on had to be trodden. It was a necessary evil.


    Jack''s face darkened. He hardened his mind and raised the rock. And then, he smashed the head of the coyote.


    The splitting sensation of something soft was transmitted to his brain via his hand, his arm, his shoulder, and then his neck. That sensation instantly put the brakes on his pumping adrenaline.


    It was truly, utterly, horribly, and incredibly unpleasant. It nearly made him puke on the spot.


    Even Taylor held her breath. The sound of the rock connecting with the flesh was a lot louder and more horrible than she expected. And the follow-up whining from the dying coyote only made it worse.


    ¡°Holy cow,¡± she muttered meekly under her nearly strangled breath. ¡°It''s still not dead yet....¡±


    Jack was startled by her words. And when he looked down at his handiwork, indeed the coyote was still twitching weakly on the ground. A part of its head was pummeled, revealing the pink flesh underneath and some brain matter as well.


    Seeing the gore, Jack couldn''t hold back and puked. It was too sudden a reaction for him to stop. He doubled over and emptied the contents in his stomach in a blink of an eye.


    Taylor backed away just in time to avoid getting the splatter damage on her clothes but her face turned deathly pale as well. She was also very, very close to the tipping point but by some kind of miracle, didn''t manage to vomit. Still, the bitter and terrible taste rose up in her mouth, making her realize that maybe, today wasn''t such a good idea after all.


    After that, there was total silence. Well, discounting the fact that the coyote was still whining weakly on the ground, but that didn''t count. The two teens looked at each other uneasily, urging one another silently to do.... something. Anything would do at this point.


    Jack wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and bitterly chuckled. He knew that this was an unsightly mess, and he was directly responsible for it. All of it. Too late for regrets, though.


    Taking in another deep breath to clear his stinking mouth, Jack hardened his mind again and slammed the bloodied rock hard down on the coyote''s head.


    ~


    Min-jung scanned the area before carefully parking her car in the dark and drab underground parking lot.


    Almost every car present here was black in color, leading her to believe that every single one of the Federal Government''s employees, or in this case, the Department of Defense''s, lacked imagination when it came to ticking the car''s optional paint choices check boxes.


    She affixed the ¡°Visitor¡± credentials on the front, made sure it was visible and exited the black SUV. She was utterly alone in the lot, nary a sound nor echo of one serving to emphasize the point.


    There was a row of elevators available for the visitors, but she didn''t bother with any one of them, instead opting for one that was located at the very end. She raised her right hand which had a slim, black ring in the middle finger. She swiped that ring over a small touchscreen.


    This activated the elevator door.


    Her floor was deep underground, 20 floors down.


    And when the doors slid open, Min-jung was greeted by the scene of chaotic disorganization. The floor was bustling with activities. Soldiers, decked out in full riot gear, and scientists, with their white garbs, were busily moving to and fro. The trained men and women held the solemn looks, while the eggheads, concern, confusion, and excitement.


    Min-jung was stunned at this scene; it had been a good few years since her last visit here, but even then, she could not remember the day when it was this hectic. Clearly, something big was afoot. She mused that maybe it was a bad day to heed the call of her former colleagues, as urgent as it sounded. Well, even though she played a pivotal role in setting this project on the present course, she was a civilian now and under the employment of a private institution. Surely, they wouldn''t ask her to handle something troublesome. But if they did, then she''d ask for a big cheque with as many zeroes on it as possible.


    ¡°Welcome, Doctor Mercer. He''s waiting for you.¡±


    A smartly dressed female soldier greeted Min-jung as she left the elevator. The woman was a stunner ¨C high cheek bones, slant, cat-like crystal blue eyes, pale golden hair pulled tight and hidden under a dark green beret. She held a black tablet close to her voluminous chest. The dark green skirt, normally a type of clothing that would hide a woman''s figure, instead here enhancing hers like a charm. A normal man, or even a woman, would have gone head over heels in adulation if this soldier winked flirtatiously just once. The only problem was, this woman had a gaze so cold and withering, it could probably freeze sea water with one well-placed sneer.


    ¡°Major Podolsky. Been a while. You haven''t changed a bit, looks wise. Please, lead the way.¡±


    Min-jung and Major Podolsky, the blond bombshell, shared a cultured nod. And as the two women began walking, Min-jung looked at the unfolding chaos around them and decided to satisfy her growing curiosity.


    ¡°Tell me, Major. What is going on here? Something big happened?¡±


    Major Podolsky simply replied. ¡°He will brief you on the current situation, doctor.¡±


    Min-jung briefly pouted in annoyance at the curt reply. Incidentally, the two of them never had a good relationship. Not bad enough for a full-on catfight, but neither good enough to share a passing joke and a polite chuckle together. She had already given up on figuring out why this was so.


    Past the rushing soldiers and scientists, she ran into people she knew and used to work with, and shared light greetings with them. They then passed multiple cordons of well-armed soldiers acting as guards set up in the hallways, and another group of male and female soldiers in a spacious office floor who were weaponless but busy doing some kind of paperwork on their individual desks. The biggest desk placed near the end was empty ¨C but Min-jung knew very well that one belonged to Major next to her.


    Right after that, the two arrived at a large, black oak doorway. Podolsky knocked on it three times before opening it authoritatively.


    Inside, a lowly-lit, smoky and spacious office, a hardened military man in his sixties, sitting behind the huge desk, chewing on a cigar and carrying a scowl fierce enough to terrify even the blind children. And to his opposite, an old man in his late eighties, supporting himself on an archaic wooden cane.


    ¡°Professor!! This is a nice surprise. How have you been?¡±


    Min-jung smiled brightly as she gently grasped the hand of the old man.


    ¡°Hello, Doctor Kim. Oh, my apologies. It has changed to a Mercer a long time ago, yes? Haha, I am getting on in years, it seems. Regardless, it''s been a long while, Doctor.¡±


    Min-jung and the Professor shared a hug before parting slightly. They shared more polite words before a throat clearing noise from the scowling military man reminded them of where they were.


    Min-jung then turned her attention to the military man and lightly nodded her head.


    ¡°General Williams. Good to see you again, sir. I see you are rather busy today for some reason.¡±


    ¡°Doctor. Thank you for coming in at such a short notice. Major, please brief the Professor Evans and Doctor Mercer of the development.¡±


    Min-jung couldn''t help but look at Podolsky with a weird eye. In the end, it fell to the good Major to explain the current situation. If she did so from the very beginning, it might have helped her organize her thoughts earlier, but no ¨C the cold beauty just had to drag things out for no good reason. Was it done out of spite? Min-jung couldn''t explain this irrational behavior at all.


    ¡°Yes, General. At 0730 Zulu, The subjects G-9, G-10 and G-11 escaped from the Fort McGinley Training Facility. Their current positions are unknown but it is estimated by the last known sightings that they are headed here.¡±


    Min-jung stiffened almost immediately upon hearing this. ¡°You called me in for this?! I am not a combatant, General. How will I be able to help you in this situation?!¡±


    ¡°Relax, Doctor. You weren''t called here originally because of the breakout. But if it comes to that, don''t worry, we will provide you with adequate protection. Professor, please inform the skittish Doctor here of the breakthrough your team has made recently.¡±


    General Williams flicked the burning end of his cigar casually on the marble ashtray and deposited the ash in a practiced manner.


    ¡°Ahem, yes. Excuse me. The algorithm finally cracked the previously indecipherable parts of the arcane cuneiforms found in the tomb. And the results, in my opinion, warrants a serious relook at the Project Dead Kings. Especially, at the overall direction this project needs to take.¡±


    Min-jung slowly sat down on one of the unoccupied seats. And steadied her breath. ¡°Oh? So the final bits of mystery has been solved, after all these years? What did the symbols say?¡±


    Professor Evans had a rueful smile as he sighed. ¡°Well.... it speaks of a threat heading our way. And that we might have been preparing to fight against a wrong enemy all this time.¡±


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 6: The Project

    Chapter 6: The Project


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Professor Evans'' words left Min-jung speechless and in contemplation. Not only her, but even the good General chose not to say anything, instead waiting for the professor to continue with the narrative.


    Evans deeply sighed and awkwardly made his way towards General William''s large desk. The old age had caught up with him, it seemed, and he was having a slight trouble walking. If it weren''t for the cane, he might have asked someone else to help him with the presentation.


    Next to the obligatory computer monitor on top of the desk, there was a USB docking station. The professor produced a slim flash drive out of his pocket and carefully slotted it in one of the unused ports.


    ¡°Major, would you be so kind to operate the computer for me, please? I fear my illiteracy in all matters pertaining to modern technology will be the final nail on the lid of my coffin.¡±


    Evans lightly shook his head and apologized as Podolsky wordlessly began operating the interface to open the documents stored on the flash drive.


    While that task was under way, Min-jung thought of something and inquired the group.


    ¡°So, is it correct to assume that I''m the last person to be informed of this development? Or you haven''t contacted other stakeholders yet?¡±


    General Williams took a long puff of his cigar, his eyes not particularly focused on anything. ¡°Major will send the relevant summaries to the President, Secretary of the State, and to the members of the Congressional oversight committee as soon as we''re done here. Right now, we know there''s been a breakthrough in the research but that''s about it, Doctor Mercer. Until the good professor clues us in, we know as much as you.¡±


    ¡°It''s ready,¡± said Podolsky as she pointed towards the vacant wall to the side.


    A projector shone from the ceiling and cast a bright light on the said wall. With a remote, Podolsky then killed the lights in the office, making the projection on the wall more visible.


    Evans cleared his throat and began to speak as the images flashed on the wall.


    ¡°Bring up the file named PDK-790211-NW35006r first, Major. We''ll start from there.¡±


    Podolsky nodded and searched for the file on the screen. It took a bit of time as there were quite a few there. Eventually, she found the one they needed and clicked on it.


    A photograph of a dimly lit area was superimposed on the wall. The poor lighting aside, the object in the center was clear enough for all to see ¨C a light-brown stone wall full of ancient but vivid hieroglyphs, known as cuneiforms. On the bottom right corner, there was a time stamp that said ¡°1979-02-11.¡±


    Min-jung knew this photo well. While she was working on the Project Dead Kings as its lead geneticist, Professor Evans often showed her this image, among others, explaining its significance every time he did so.


    ¡°I presume that we all are familiar with this image, yes?¡± asked Evans. ¡°If the memory has failed you, then allow me to offer a quick refresher ¨C this part of the tomb is believed to contain a record, an abridged description, of a cataclysmic war on a global scale fought by what we now know as the first recognized Supers to walk this planet that took place well over ten thousand years ago.¡±


    Evans approached the wall and by using his own walking stick, he began to slowly point out each of the mysterious symbols while explaining what they meant.


    ¡°In the great plains of Taklamakan, flanked by the two great and mighty sleeping Dragons, greatest warriors known to men, favored by the heavens, engaged in a bloody conflict that lasted ten generations. The land was ripped asunder, blood thickened the sand, and the sky was dyed black from the fumes of burned world below....¡±


    Professor Evans took great pains to accurately translate each of the symbols, top to bottom. The photographs changed a couple of times, but they were all depicting the same cuneiform-covered wall, just the different parts of it, serving as a continuation for the narration.


    ¡°....But the war of the mortal world had to come to an end, not because of the heavenly warriors coming to form a truce, but a new threat appeared to destroy the very existence of mankind. This common enemy of the world is thus shall be named The Lord of Darkness.¡±


    Finally, they reached the photo Evans wanted to show. He took a deep breath and wiped his brows with a handkerchief.


    ¡°It''s here, at the Northwest corner of the tomb that the majority of the bottleneck came from. Achieving the satisfying level of translation was not possible for the last three decades or so. Partly because, the known symbols are interspersed with ones which did not match with what we knew, but also their arrangement and the placement threw us off as well. What a challenge they posed for me and my team for such a long time.¡±


    Min-jung nodded, while thinly-veiled impatience was creeping in on the face of General Williams. ¡°Please get on with the explanations, Professor. You know we might have unwelcome guests later on. I need to extend my full attention there soon.¡±


    Evans chuckled apologetically. ¡°Oh, my. It''s been too long since this old man had an opportunity to prattle on. Do forgive me, General. Right, where was I? Ah, yes, stuck on this part of the wall. Ahem. So, in order to expedite the translation process, my team was tasked to devise new computer algorithms and we did go through many of them. We also enlisted many eminent experts of their respective fields but in the end, it was all to no avail.


    ¡°But then, the British contacted us last year and things became more lively, very quickly.¡±


    ¡°The British? Why did they contact you, professor?¡±


    Min-jung raised an eyebrow, puzzled slightly.


    ¡°Not me, personally, but the leaders of this Project. You see, doctor, Brits had discovered a beautifully preserved underwater tomb off the coast of Southwest England around twenty years ago. However, the higher ups there chose to keep the news of the discovery from the general public as well as from our knowledge.


    ¡°But that policy only lasted until last year, when they saw fit to share what they have found with us. You should thank our good General here, as he played a pivotal role in facilitating a very favorable arrangement back then.


    ¡°And from their shared data, my team was able to finally decode the most troubling parts. We have a bit more still to translate, but we have the gist of what this wall wishes to convey to us.¡±


    Min-jung was somewhat surprised to hear these revelations. She wasn''t really expecting the brass to inform her of every decision taken by them but still, it was disappointing to be left out of the loop. After all, at one time, she was one of the most important people involved.


    Originally, she was brought into the project nearly twenty years ago, fresh off from the university. She was widely acknowledged as one of the most promising geniuses in the world of genetics and many top firms were bending over backwards to offer unbelievable benefits just to lure her away. But it was the Project Dead Kings and its ambitious undertaking that hooked Min-jung''s interests in the end.


    Many things happened since then. When her expertise was no longer vigorously required for the project''s completion, she personally decided to scale back her involvement as much as possible. If they wanted her opinion, fine, she''d provide it for a fee, but if there was a huge, new development that could impact the Project itself? Well, she wasn''t really looking forward to jumping back in. She had her family to worry about now, especially her changing son.


    Did she feel bitter that she wasn''t informed? Maybe. But did it truly matter? No, not really. She chose to leave, and that was that. She should be glad that General was willing to tell her this much already. Still, what would have happened if she knew of what the Brits found while she worked on the Project? What would her life be like now?


    She smiled ruefully and quickly settled her thoughts. Again, it didn''t matter anymore. What was done, was done. Instead, she became curious about this tomb. There was no guarantee that an answer would be given to her, but she asked Evans nevertheless.


    ¡°Can you tell me more about that underwater tomb, Professor? Whose tomb is it? Anyone I read from the history books?¡±


    A thin smile spread on the lips of the aged scholar. He didn''t seek permission from General Williams and just decided to tell her the truth.


    ¡°....Well, since you already know the various tombs that have been utilized in the Project, I believe there''d be no harm in knowing this one as well. A British expedition accidentally ran into a burial site while searching for offshore gas reserves on the ocean floor. Further investigation was called for and the British experts came to a conclusion that what they have was actually a landmass that had collapsed due to an unknown factor. It took a good long to fully explore the sunken tomb, but they were able to figure out that the mysterious landmass was indeed, the fabled Avalon. The legendary Avalon of arguably the most famous English lore of all time ¨C the lore of none other than one Arturus Pendragon, the King Arthur.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± Min-jung sucked in her breath. ¡°That''s.... par for the course in this line of work, I guess? I mean, almost all the other tombs of the legendary figures have been unearthed one by one, so it probably was only a matter of time before even King Arthur got his turn.¡±


    She sighed and shook her head. The conflicted feelings she felt weren''t hers alone ¨C even Evans felt the same back when the news reached his ears. Growing up, many kids were exposed to the various retelling of Arthurian legends and come to love them, both Min-jung and Evans included.


    Maybe because the story was so relatable. Maybe it was suitably fantastical. Or, maybe it was truly romantic. Whatever the case may be, the rise and the eventual fall of King of All Britons was regurgitated endlessly via countless movie reboots, novellas, and cartoons, leaving behind a tangible footprint in the popular culture.


    To Min-jung, the part of the allure laid with the fact that the whole story was steeped in uncertainty, turning it into a mythical lore. There was no verifiable proof of King Arthur''s actual existence being real, nor any of his knights for that matter. And that was just the way she liked. Less clearer the man''s history, more imposing and wonderful his life story became.


    But now.... that important part has well and truly been shattered. The tomb of King Arthur was found. It was like being told the ins and outs of her favorite magic trick as a child.


    Min-jung had no reason to doubt the capacity of the people who verified the resting place since Professor Evans was not refuting it. That could only mean that he too believed it himself.


    ¡°The British chose to keep the information out of public''s scrutiny because, funnily enough, they seemed to have the similar idea to us. They were doing something similar to our project, except that they had no one like our good doctor Mercer to lead them, and were not making much of a progress. Only after the numerous, repeated total failures did they open up for a possibility of cooperation,¡± continued Evans.


    ¡°So what happened? Were you given the access to genetic materials of King Arthur? If so, you could have called me in to take a gander,¡± said Min-jung, trying to sound a little peeved at her omission from what would have been an amazing opportunity for her.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The hardened military man chuckled a little. ¡°Well, Doctor Mercer. Remember, you chose the civilian life. That limited your access. And you had left behind enough for your replacement to work his magic, so your presence wasn''t strictly necessary anymore. Besides, at the time, you were involved with another project for your current employers. We couldn''t bring you on board even if we wanted to.¡±


    ¡°But you have called me in today,¡± said Min-jung icily. ¡°So, obviously, you want something from me.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± nodded Williams. ¡°We do need your expertise on a matter of a grave importance. But that''ll come at a later stage. So, in the meantime, please continue, Professor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, General. Move on to the next file, please Major.¡± Evans coughed lightly and asked Podolsky.


    The next file was another photograph, this time a close-up of a different tomb altogether. The resolution of the image was slightly superior compared to the one shown in the previous files. Min-jung could see that the several cuneiforms were highlighted, meant to draw the attention of the audience. Remarkably, these symbols were not affected in the slightest by the passages of time.


    ¡°Well, here we are, the images the British took in Avalon. As bizarre as it may seem, we all know that these ancient cuneiforms had been uncovered in the tombs of the most powerful Supers of the history. And most, if not all, tell the similar tale.


    ¡°These highlighted symbols are what caused so much pain for us. But as you can see, they are better preserved here, enormously helping with our efforts to complete the translations. Now, we have nearly achieved that goal.


    ¡°Previously, we only knew of what to call the threat ¨C the Lord of Darkness. We also knew this being was so powerful that the entire world had to band together to defeat him or her. This startling record could also be found in a select number of the tombs belonging to the confirmed Supers.


    ¡°What we couldn''t be sure of was the conditions leading to the emergence of the said Lord of Darkness. Of course, we speculated over this matter for years but, with most of the symbols left untranslated back then, the truth remained far too difficult to unravel. The tomb I discovered in 1979 is the most known intact examples found so far, yet we no longer have access to that burial site ¨C a pity.¡±


    Evans shook his head wryly.


    Both the professor and Min-jung turned to look at General Williams, who had rather a displeased look, as if the Professor''s words reminded him of something quite unpleasant from his past. Major Podolsky, on the other hand, remained impassive and cold by his side.


    Seeing this, Min-jung just smiled wryly and decided not to say anything. After all, this matter about the tomb in question was for the politicians to resolve and not for a scientist like her. Not only was it a wrong profession, but also way above her pay grade, so to speak. Although, having said that, her current monthly pay was probably highest in the room at the moment, the beauty of not being a Federal Government employee.


    ¡°Because of the limitations imposed, my team had to take liberties here and there, thus leading to some unanswered questions as far as to what this Lord of Darkness is supposed to be. But now, with these better-preserved examples from Avalon provided by the Brits and their take on the meanings of the cuneiforms, we were able to decode far more and have gained a better understanding of the entire picture.


    ¡°Thus, we have made the amendments to the previous translations. We need to revise the level of the threat. Here,¡±


    The Professor pointed at one of the symbols that seemed a little like a bamboo stick with a pair of dots hovering around its middle.


    ¡°We didn''t know what this was. Now, we think it serves one of two functions. In this case, it''s a sentence modifier. This symbol changes the singular noun The Lord into a plural, Lords.¡±


    There was a collective sharp intake of breaths in the room. Even Major Podolsky seemed slightly ruffled.


    ¡°Lords? More than one? Seriously?¡± Williams loudly grumbled. ¡°Christ on a pogo stick. One is already bad enough, but now we might have to contend with more than one at the same time?¡±


    Evans had a deep, sullen face. ¡°Well, General. The bad news continues. We always thought that the eponymous Lord of Darkness would arise from among the current crop of Supers ¨C as the de facto Supervillain surpassing all the others. But now...¡±


    The old Professor shifted the end of the cane to another symbol on the projected image. And then another obscured symbol. And to another one. Those were obviously in worse shape than the first symbol pointed out by the Professor.


    ¡°....With these parts now roughly translated, we might not be necessarily looking at that.... simple limitation anymore. This symbol changes the entire structure of the sentence, and now its meaning is ¨C Lords of Darkness shall rise from the masses of the common souls, called forth on their destructive paths by the divine commands of the Gods above.¡±


    ¡°....That is quite different from what we know,¡± Min-jung slowly murmured. Previously there was no mention of the Gods nor the masses in the translations.


    The first bit about the souls, to her at least, made no sense. What did it mean, masses of souls? Did it mean a big crowd? And Evans also said ¡°common¡± souls, so it could mean that a Lord of Darkness might spring out of anywhere where human beings lived. That was as broad as it could possibly get.


    The second bit, though, took the cake for being the most illogical of the two. Her scientific mind had deciphered a long time ago that pretty much every religion she was exposed to was full of nonsense. So all these talks of gods and heavens were lost on her. But she could understand that it was a perfectly fine way to describe something beyond the scope of knowledge for the ancient civilizations. Relying on the illusory gods to explain away seemingly supernatural events was pretty easy to do, after all. And there was an added bonus of being able to control a crowd that way as well.


    ¡°Are we assuming that, now, anyone can become this world-threatening existence as a result of the quirky genetics? The Lord of Darkness that possess such powerful abilities that the most active Supers have to band together to stand a chance?¡±


    Williams groaned and discarded the cigar with a disgusted face.


    ¡°Whew, boy. Well, no matter. This project got greenlit so we can handle situations like this. One Darkness Lord or two or whatever ¨C we''ll deal with them when the time comes. I''ll just ask for an increase in the operating budget. Money solves most problems, anyways. Speaking of which....¡±


    Williams looked over at Min-jung and tossed three thick file folders marked ¡°Top Secret: For Highest Clearances Only¡± in large red letters.


    ¡°You were originally not supposed to see those, but I got the necessary clearance for you. Tell us what you see, Doctor Mercer.


    ¡°Those files are the most up-to-date files for our three escaped participants of the Project. Before this incident, they were beginning to exhibit a range of strange phenomena and behavior. Not just three of them, but all twelve of them. Our eggheads couldn''t make heads nor tails of the whole thing.


    ¡°And now, they have escaped and are allegedly heading this way ¨C for what purpose? For revenge? For information? We need to know. We need to know what triggered their sudden disobedience from the project.


    ¡°All the compiled medical data for the three are there. Files for the other participants are here too, but for now, those three takes the precedence over the rest. Figuring out what''s gone wrong with them ¨C that''s the reason why I called you in. Just that, the timeline has moved up a notch since that decision.¡±


    Min-jung hurriedly thumbed through the pages, taking in the records within, until her eyes stopped at the date where the changes began. Her heart skipped a beat then.


    A thin line of sweat slowly traveled down her back.


    This.... this can''t be. This date....


    She quickly checked on the other two folders, only to confirm that the changes were observed on the exact same date as the others.


    It was the date of Jack''s ordeal on the highway R-35 Northbound.


    ~


    There was one certain Greyhound bus heading towards a city in the West.


    It was not as packed with passengers as the operators would have preferred. The competition was fierce for the rights to ferry the common man, as it transpired. But as long people got to their destinations with the least amount of hassle, no one cared.


    None of those hitching a ride seemed eye-catching in any shape or form. Simply put, they were normal, regular folks going to a big city for various reasons. Some were chasing after their dreams, some were going back home, some were planning to visit their acquaintances, and some of them were on the run, from their past, from the oppression of their lives, from the law, even.


    In the case of three teenagers who sat towards the rear of the bus, though ¨C to find the truth.


    At a glance, they were like any other kids their age. One Caucasian boy and two girls, one Oriental and the other, difficult to tell initially, but maybe from one of the Mediterranean countries. They were kitted out in jeans and simple, nondescript shirts, with baseball caps firmly pulled down to shield their faces from a closer scrutiny.


    The boy had a sickly pale skin and a short, slim build. He wore a simple pair of frameless glasses lending him an air of an intellectual. Under the cap, golden locks were visibly tucked in. His soft blue eyes continued to scan the interior of the bus and the other passengers.


    The Oriental girl was leaning back against the seat, seemingly asleep. Her glossy black hair cascaded down to her shoulder, hiding a pair of thin cords that led to both her ears. If one were to listen real closely, a low hum could be heard from the hidden earphones. The girl had a small piercing on the upper lip as well as on her nose, giving a kind of punk-like air.


    The other girl was well built physically but still managed to come across as quite slender. But her square shoulders and lean, straight limbs that rippled with taut muscles imparted an aura of a star athlete. She had her shoulder-length dark brown hair tied in a single ponytail.


    One thing for sure, though ¨C all three of them were a bunch of good looking people; enough to earn them top-paying gigs in the modeling industry if they were keen.


    The trio silently rode on the bus, impassive and disinterested, at least outwardly so.


    But if someone who was an expert at reading faces could see them right now, then this expert would have thought that these teens were in a highly stressed, deeply vigilant mood.


    Occasionally, the athletic girl, who was sitting near the windows, glanced outside as if to check the surrounding cars and their occupants. Her deep green eyes seemed to glitter like a pair of polished emeralds as she took in the various cars and trucks around the moving bus.


    The Oriental girl suddenly opened her eyes and gazed at the other two.


    ¡°There''s a radio chatter. They know we are headed this way.¡± She leaned towards the other two and whispered softly.


    Her voice was crisp and clear, almost like as if she was singing. It was pleasant to hear but at the same time, didn''t seem real at all.


    The boy frowned and pushed up the glasses on his nose. ¡°We should be still around 50 miles or so away from the city in question. About time they caught onto our scents. However, it''s still too far for us to walk the rest of the way. I sure know I can''t.¡±


    The athletic girl sighed. But the fierceness in her eyes didn''t wane one bit. ¡°What a bother. And we''re so close already, you know!! Well, Lei can hotwire a car with her powers, right? So, no problem there, right? Riding on a bus is so boring, you know? Let''s get off, like, now!!¡±


    The Oriental girl, Lei, and the glasses-wearing boy groaned and shook their heads.


    ¡°Cleo, don''t be unreasonable. You want us to jump out of a moving bus? Maybe you''ll be fine, but Lei and I won''t be,¡± said the boy.


    ¡°As long as the car isn''t too old and have some form of electronic controls, I can drive it,¡± said Lei. ¡°We shouldn''t have taken a bus, though. It''s taking too long to get to our destination this way....¡±


    Cleo the athletic girl nodded. ¡°Right, right. We shouldn''t have, you know. We should''ve just gone with the car we got from the Facility. It''s Erik''s fault, you know?¡±


    Erik the glasses-wearing boy groaned. ¡°Those cars are Low-jacked. We would not have gotten away at all if we stayed with that car, Cleo. I told you this already, didn''t I?! Okay, whatever, that''s not important right now.¡±


    He massaged the bridge of his nose and adjusted the glasses.


    ¡°We need to be extra careful from now on when we are so close. They have somehow locked on to our current heading, so no doubt they will be keeping an eye out on all the usual methods of transportation. We''ll get caught quickly if we continue riding on this bus.¡±


    The three of them then slowly looked around their surroundings. The daylight entering the bus illuminated the interior and they could see everyone here. On the outside, the bus they were on was traveling down the Interstate. The traffic was moderate, the sky was blue, and the world seemed rather peaceful.


    Erik knew, though, that such a facade wouldn''t last long. The secrets he carried, and indeed by his friends, could pretty much tilt the apple cart beyond redemption if he chose to go down that route. But will he? Erik wasn''t sure yet.


    What he was sure of, was the next course of the action they had to take.


    ¡°Okay, at the next rest stop, we get off and find an alternative. Agreed?¡±


    Quietly, the girls nodded at Erik''s suggestion.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 7: The Monster

    <h2 class="western" lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 7: The Monster</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Jack and Taylor were quietly walking towards the exit of the wilderness, their faces tired and haunted. Before entering the forest, they had entrusted their only mode of transportation, their bicycles, at the empty, unmanned Park Ranger station situated near the entrance of the so-called ¡°nature reserve.¡± It was nothing as grand as that, but as with one so far removed from the mother nature, even the most unflattering landscape could be transformed into an untamed savannah with one or two carefully worded signboards out up front.


    The two of them didn''t care about that, however.


    They were in a various state of glum, unhappy, and just a bit on the paler side. On Jack''s right hand, there was some dried blood. Their shoes were grimy, caked in dirt and needing a thorough wash pretty soon.


    The trail leading into the civilization was eerily deserted of people and it only served to feed their sense of isolation. Not even the pleasant buzzing of insects and the birds lazily floating by in the air could change that.


    The day''s activity had left them with a nasty aftertaste that was hard to get rid of. Taylor thought she was mentally well prepared for it, but even then, the shock of the real thing was far harder to handle, far messier than her own naive imaginations could ever come up with. And as for Jack, it wasn''t any better. No, it was worse. Much worse.


    He just wanted to go home and crawl under a blanket. And then, just forget this whole thing about getting stronger. That was all a load of crap. What revenge? What pursuit of justice for the victims? What the hell was all that about?


    Hah. What a joke.


    No way had he so acutely felt his position in the society. It was an eye opener. As soon as the adrenaline wore off, as soon as the realization of his actions dawned on him, Jack regretted everything. Literally, everything.


    In the end, he was just a snotty-nosed kid from a cozy, lazy, and all too boring suburbia out of nowhere, his role in this world already established at birth: destined to become a fat, middle-aged consumer of fast foods and never-ending annualized First Person Shooter Franchises. That''s what he was.


    Taking a life by force was not something as simple as it was made out to be in the movies and games and novels and the like. It was, in short, a miserable, crappy and ultimately, a terrible task he''d rather not do ever again.


    The weakened whine of the dying coyote remained with him like a poisonous wasp, buzzing inside his ears and showing no signs of leaving him alone. It reminded him, ever so slightly, of all the anguished cries from that hellish day. Whether the continuous buzzing was an illusion or not, the sound remained etched in his memory, making sure of Jack feeling like an asshole.


    The duo retrieved and got on their bicycles, silently pedaled away until the trail ended for good, with the road to civilization opening up. The signs of humanity were sparse; electric poles, street lamps, roads and rows of houses and sporadically parked cars. Yet, strangely, no actual human beings anywhere. It was totally deserted.


    Jack found it quite bizarre. He had no idea that the end of suburbs could be this desolate and empty.


    ¡°Hey, there''s a convenience store. Go and wash up, Mercer,¡± said Taylor as she pointed across the road.


    Jack glanced down at his bloodied hand which, coupled with his dirtied clothing and bedraggled expression, made him look like a dangerous criminal on the run. Smiling tiredly, he pointed the bicycle towards the store, Taylor following closely behind.


    There were no moving cars on the road. There was only a single, beat-up hatchback from the good old 80s parked in the store''s front parking lot. A loud, colorful signboard cheerfully advertised the latest discounts available in the store, advising the shoppers not to miss this opportunity. Jack couldn''t seem to focus on these sales of the century. He just couldn''t care any less even if he tried. Too mentally worn out and desperate to go home for a rest, was all.


    Parking the bikes at the entrance, the two entered through the automatic sliding glass doors. There was only a single uniformed person inside, a clerk, who was absentmindedly watching the TV. He was not much older than Jack, the signs of immaturity manifesting as pinkish pimples on his cheeks.


    ¡°Excuse me, where''s the bathroom?¡±


    Taylor loudly asked the clerk.


    ¡°Towards the back, next to the storage,¡± replied the man without bothering to look at her.


    ¡°You heard him,¡± Taylor shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Go wash up.¡±


    Jack hurriedly made his way back, and after a brief search found the empty hallway behind a push door. He saw the bathroom sign there so he entered without hesitation.


    There was a distant, unidentifiable buzzing coming the back, somewhere. He could just about make out the storage and the boxes of goods stacked in the darkness. The sign for the rear emergency exit flickered intermittently.


    The door to the toilet was right next to the storage, unlocked, and surprisingly dirty. No one seemed to have cleaned it in a year or two. That was odd, since the actual store was clean and well kept.


    The inside of the toilet was equally abysmal ¨C grimy, walls and surfaces filled with lewd and rude scribbles all over the place, missing tiles and overhead lights flickering and dying, before miraculously resurrecting, only to repeat the process again. There were three cubicles but two of them had their doors broken in the hinges. At least the two wash basins present seemed to work fine, albeit just barely.


    Jack groaned softly after realizing that there was no soap here, never mind a towel or a machine to dry his hands. He was somewhat astonished that such a place existed in his neck of the woods. Didn''t seem real ¨C as if he had unwittingly traveled to the set of a classic slasher movie.


    The water trickling out from the faucet ran down to his hands, settling on the dried blood for a second before sliding further down, the color changing to reddish pink.


    Jack slowly scrubbed his hands, at first. The water felt cold against his bare skin. The blood from the dead animal was coming off a bit by bit, a layer by layer.


    Yet, beneath one layer, there was another. And when he managed to wash that off, there was another one still. His scrubbing became vigorous, harder and harder, faster and faster until he could get those layers off his hands.


    But yet again, there was another layer waiting underneath, mocking him silently.


    Gritting his teeth, Jack clawed at the disgusting remnants of blood, the evidence of his guilt, like a madman. Finally, his skin broke and his own blood began to mingle with what was already on his skin. The scratch stung, and the pain brought him out of the maddened state.


    Jack was breathing heavily as if he ran a lengthy marathon. When he saw his own reflection in the mirror, he could see how pale he was. Jack gulped down a lot of stale air, trying to calm down. There was nearly not enough energy in his legs, and he felt like toppling over. Only by holding onto the basin and bending over did he feel a little more secure of his footing.


    Because of the closer proximity, the water splashed inside the basin and some landed on his face. Reflexively, Jack brought up his hands to wipe the droplets away. But that was a mistake ¨C because his wiping hands left a trail of muddied blood on his face.


    Jack sucked in another bout of deep breaths as dread rapidly filled him up inside. Now the face in the mirror looked like a true villain, a killer and a taker of lives. A bad guy, a monster, had stolen his face. That man in the mirror was not him. It couldn''t be him.


    Jack quickly buried his head under the stream of water, trying to get closer to the faucet and wash his face clean. The angle was all wrong and it was difficult to fully get under the roaring water. He persisted, of course. He had to get this blood off him. He angrily splashed water on his face.


    All because he simply couldn''t bear to witness the transformation of one Jack Mercer into a murderer.


    No, he was not like them. He was not a monster like those bastards busy flaunting their superpowers like some kind of gods lording over the common, powerless people and doing whatever they pleased. He was not like them. Never.


    Jack didn''t know just how long he spent in the bathroom, but when he finally raised his head, all the bloodstain was gone. His face was deathly pale, but at least, all signs of him committing a terrible deed had disappeared for good. The broken skin on his hand had already stopped hurting, the sign of his enhancement working properly.


    He drank the water, trying to wash away the bitter taste in his mouth. He immediately spat out, regretting his decision soon after. The water tasted worse than mud.


    Wiping the mouth with the back of his hand, Jack thought about buying a soda on his way out. He heard that sugar could calm the frayed nerves. He saw that in some movie not too long ago.


    Jack took usable toilet papers from the cubicles and dried his face. It was time to go home and stop this charade. The period of pretending to be an avenging angel was over. He was going back home and back to the life he knew. Away from this madness of Supers and whatnots.


    As for the agreement Jack made with Taylor, he would honor it. He may not need her powers anymore, but that was fine. He wasn''t going to go back on his words; a promise was a promise, so he shall fulfill it.


    Only if the fate would let him return to his old life.


    Jack was about to reach the door handle when he heard a loud shout. His enhanced hearing came to the fore, allowing him to hear the contents. They were not good. Not good at all.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Give me all the money in the counter, now!!¡±


    Jack froze on the spot when he heard that. He silently cursed out in his heart.


    What the hell?! What is this cliched development?


    A holdup was in progress. And he needed to make a quick decision.


    If Jack stayed in the bathroom, then this storm might pass him by. After all, hiding in here guaranteed his safety. It was not like the robber would enter the toilet to steal the soap or something, since there was none here, to begin with. Thinking of his own safety, the choice was obvious.


    Yeah, let''s stay in here. That''s for the best...


    ¡°Uh? What the f*ck? Hey, bi*ch, c''mere, now!! Get your skinny ass over here right now!! You looking to die? I said, get your ass over here, now, bi*ch!!¡±


    Jack turned into a stone statue when the rough, intimidating words flowed into his ears. His hands gripped the door handle tightly until the knob was creaking under the pressure.


    Oh, no!! Taylor ¨C she''s still inside the store!!


    Jack gritted his teeth. She might be a Super, but her powers were not really useful in a situation like this. She could only tell whether a person was a Super or not, or for that matter, whether there was a person in the vicinity near her. Of course, it was a given that she wouldn''t be able to tell apart a gun toting criminal from a law-abiding citizen.


    What.... What do I do now?!


    He hesitated. He didn''t know what to do anymore. He briefly entertained the idea of going out there and taking the armed robber or robbers head on, but he had no courage. He just wanted to hide in here and do absolutely nothing.


    But once more, the choice was made for him.


    There was a loud gunshot. And then, another.


    The sharp crack of each shot pierced into Jack''s heart. Suddenly, his head was filled with the image of the dead coyote, but this time Taylor''s dying body replacing it.


    Like a possessed man, he dashed out of the bathroom. The door broke and flung off the hinges. He didn''t care.


    There were two robbers. Both them were decked out in black, head to toe. Black ski masks, black shirts, black pants ¨C even the pistols wielded by the two were black in color.


    One of them was holding Taylor from behind, the way a hostage taker might. He had his gun pressed against her temple. She was terrified, trembling like a wet dog.


    The other armed robber was already behind the counter. From his angle, Jack couldn''t see what happened to the clerk, obscured partially from his view. But he could guess.


    Jack threw himself at the hostage taker; he was the nearest. They weren''t ready for a sudden and violent appearance of a hidden player, which worked to Jack''s favor.


    When he got closer, Jack could see the stunned expression hidden behind the ski mask. The robber''s brown eyes widened, his mouth trying to form a word.


    Too late.


    Jack''s hand shot out and grabbed the gun-wielding hand. Then, he twisted it upwards. The unmistakable sound of a bone snapping in half followed soon after.


    The robber cried out. His grip on Taylor loosened. She took this chance to dive forward, out of the man''s grasp. This paved way for what Jack wanted to do next ¨C to land a solid punch on his face.


    And land he did. Jack''s knuckles dug deep into the robber''s masked face, and the teenager clearly felt flesh and bone giving way under pressure. The robber became airborne, off his feet, momentarily escaping the embrace of the gravity.


    The force of Jack''s punch propelled the robber back, and his body slammed into the display cabinets full of junk food with a huge crash.


    There was now a stunned silence in the store. Even the robber behind the counter remained still, stupefied. His hand was in the middle of going through the open till but now, he wasn''t even moving anymore.


    Jack breathed heavily, his adrenaline coursing through his veins once more. He felt good. He felt invincible. He felt like he could take on an army all alone. He clenched his fists in excitement. It was such a huge change in his temperament from less than a minute ago when he was a scared kid wanting to hide in a corner.


    Jack was smiling like a madman in that moment.


    ¡°Get the other guy!!¡±


    Taylor shouted from the floor. That broke the stupor of both men.


    The robber hurriedly raised his pistol and took aim at Jack, while cursing out loud. ¡°F*ck!! A goddamn Super!!¡±


    The robber had all the right to feel aggrieved. Of all the joints he could hit, he and his pal just had to choose the one with a damn Super doing his thing, waiting to pounce on them. Now that was the very definition of ¡°Rotten Luck.¡±


    Jack raised his head and saw the muzzle of the gun. Like that time facing the coyote, he was calm, not an ounce of panic in his heart. As the adrenaline flowed in his veins faster and faster, the world around him slowed down to a crawl and he could clearly see the movement of the robber''s arm, the gun, and even the potential trajectory of the bullet, judged by the direction the muzzle was pointing at.


    His body, driven by instinct, shifted to his left side on its own the moment the robber pulled the trigger.


    Jack could see the bullet leaving the muzzle; the empty cartridge ejecting from the chamber as the slide moved; the thin, almost imperceptible dispersing molecules of gunpowder.


    But the thing was, it didn''t matter whether he could see them or not. Because, there was just no way his body could react in time.


    The first bullet grazed by his shoulder. The second bullet struck the shelf just as Jack ducked behind it. A split second of hesitation, and he''d be the one with a bullet hole in his face. The things on the destroyed shelf scattered noisily, showering him with the debris of potato crisps and white powder of some kind that smelled rather sweet.


    He had no time to ponder the identity of the mystery item, though. The robber kept on firing the gun, necessitating Jack to continue with hauling his ass out of there in a hurry.


    The robber cursed aloud and decided in haste to empty his clip right there and then. After all, he was facing a Super ¨C if he didn''t go all out, then he''d surely suffer the consequences.


    It was like a scene from a cheap Hollywood action movie; Jack ran while crouching, broken things and bits flying and showering all over. In a flash, he arrived at the window. He didn''t hesitate one bit and dived head first. He didn''t forget to raise his arms to shield his face, of course.


    The glass shattered rather dramatically, with bullets trailing him from behind. Even though he was in mid-air, Jack still had the mental wherewithal to glance back and see the robber.


    And he saw that the robber had run out of ammo, as his finger was depressed over the trigger but no bullet was coming out.


    The robber was obviously flustered. In his panic, he ran out of the store via the front door, ignoring Jack who was trying to get back up. In his haste to escape, he even forgot about his buddy, still sprawled out inside across the broken shelf.


    Jack stood up, ignoring the bits of glass all over his body. He was about to give chase when he heard Taylor shout out for him from inside the store. Reluctantly, Jack watched the robber jump into an old muscle car and drive off in a hurry, then he turned on his heels to come back inside. He was beginning to get worried about Taylor''s condition as well.


    Once inside, there was a mixture of smells wafting in the air. There were soda, crisps, disinfectants, as well as another smell he wasn''t familiar with but knew instantly that it was from the gun ¨C the bitter and acrid smell of gunpowder expanding under heat.


    And then ¨C there was also blood.


    Jack paled and hurriedly called out for Taylor when he couldn''t immediately find her. ¡°Hey!! Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Over here!! Call an ambulance!!¡±


    Taylor shouted from behind the counter. Jack rushed there and when he looked over, he paled even more as he saw her pressing down on a wound on the chest of the clerk. It was bleeding profusely through the gaps of her fingers. Her face was grim, while the clerk''s were pale and his eyes drifting away.


    The very first impression he got was that there was just so much blood. Jack stumbled back, feeling of vomit rising up in his throat once more. The formerly excited state evaporated like a lie and the previous fears of him becoming a monster rushed back. He didn''t want to take part in any of this. He had enough guilt on his hands.


    Taylor was doing her best to stem the flow of blood. Her hands were full and she urgently needed help. Yet, that expected help didn''t materialize. In a frenzy, she shouted out aloud.


    ¡°Jack Mercer!! Wake up!! I need you to man up and pull your weight right now!! Or this person will die because of your inaction!! Do you want that on your conscience?!¡±


    Jack shuddered from the shock. His retreating steps stopped. The cloud of fear in his eyes lifted, albeit just a bit. But that was enough for him to regain some of his senses.


    He gritted his teeth again and quickly rummaged his pockets for the smartphone. Thankfully it had survived the crashing through the window and it still functioned properly.


    Jack quickly dialed 911 and described the situation to the operator. Of course, he didn''t forget to omit some things from his reports.


    By the time he finished the call, he heard the groan from the second robber behind him.


    An intense anger flared up like a raging tornado inside him. Jack rushed to the robber and raised his fist, ready to bash in the bastard''s skull. His fury at nearly getting himself and Taylor killed blinded him even from the burning fear in his heart.


    The robber pathetically whimpered and raised his only working arm to shield his face. ¡°Please!! Please don''t hurt me, man!! Please!!¡±


    That''s when Jack hesitated. He could clearly hear it, the fear in the voice. The robber''s eyes were also full of fear. Seeing and hearing the fear of another person, it affected Jack a lot more than he had bargained for. The way he was looked at was like how a victim of a terrible attack would look at the perpetrator. In other words, as if looking at a monster.


    Jack''s expression darkened. He didn''t want to be viewed as a monster by the likes of this armed robber. This man was the villain, not him. The one with the gun was the true monster in this situation.


    To reinforce and confirm his beliefs, Jack reached out and yanked the robber''s ski mask off. The revealed face, however, showed a scared looking man in his early twenties. There were trails of tears and snot, some blood on his face, broken cheek bone, loosened teeth.


    Underneath all that, no matter how hard Jack searched, the robber.... looked just like any other human being.


    Jack was stunned into silence. He expected to see some evil, devilish countenance, a face so unforgivable and suitable for a criminal like him but not this, a plain face.


    And for the briefest moment Jack''s eyes wandered in denial, they caught the multiple, scattered and broken reflections of himself on the fallen bits of glass and artificially sweetened liquids on the floor, on the fridges, on the shelves.


    To his horror, it was Jack who looked more like the monster between the two of them. There were streaks of blood all over his face where the window had cut him. His clothes were torn and cut, too. And there was a mess of unidentifiable things all over him, coloring him in a heady mix of dirt and a sickly rainbow.


    Jack stumbled back up, trembling intensely at his own reflection. He could not recognize the face staring back. That creature was a deranged monster. No way in hell that could be him. It just couldn''t be him.


    He stood there, stupefied into silence. The robber was confused and was tilting his head. But he wasn''t going anywhere, because there was a loud wailing siren of a police car in the distance, rapidly closing in.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 8: The Encounter

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 8: The Encounter</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Before long, the front parking lot of the convenience store became full with lots of cars and a whole bunch of serious-looking people, resembling the aftermath of a chaotic war zone minus the usual destruction.


    There were half a dozen police cars, their sirens silently flashing non-stop. There were ambulances, a fire truck, and a crowd of curious on-lookers that had magically appeared from somewhere, kept behind the barriers of yellow tapes, their smartphones working overtime as photos were taken constantly. If there were snack vendors and local news reporting teams to the side, the whole area might have resembled a carnival.


    Jack was sitting on the back of an ambulance, with a burly African-American paramedic performing a simple treatment on his numerous superficial wounds ¨C cuts and bruises he got from diving out of the window. Nothing too serious, and with the aid of the red soul reserves, he''d recover within hours, provided that he went to sleep soon. Thankfully, the small wounds didn''t close up by themselves right in front of the paramedic; now that''d be quite awkward to explain.


    Taylor was sitting on the open back seat of a patrol car, talking to a pair of plain-clothed detectives, explaining what had happened for the millionth time. Who knew that making a statement and all that could be this difficult?


    Jack watched with a detached interest as she kept on sighing all the while slowly repeating the event to the aged, slightly potbellied cop and his equally aged partner for the umpteenth time. She was clearly fed up with saying the same things over and over again. The two cops displayed a certain level of empathy but, perhaps unsurprisingly, Jack couldn''t really tell whether it was faked or genuine.


    The contents of the story, the one she and Jack had agreed upon before the arrival of the cavalry, was a simple one: the two of them were on a bicycle ride to the park and when they were done with that, they stopped by the store to use the bathroom, only to encounter the two armed robbers.


    Luckily, Jack was able to tackle one of them into a shelf full of stuff, knocking him out. The second guy got spooked and after emptying the gun, he fled as if his ass was on fire. That was the story. No more, no less. A few things were omitted, but otherwise, it was not made up of lies. Easy to remember, too ¨C meaning, they''d be able to stick to it later on.


    The paramedic dabbed some clear liquid, an antiseptic solution, on Jack''s forehead to cleanse the wound, causing the teen to wince in a slight stinging pain. The medic chuckled apologetically and mouthed the word ¡°Sorry¡± as he continued with his job.


    Sighing, Jack turned to see the second ambulance with the other robber in it. Jack was surprised to learn that the bastard had suffered quite a lot of wounds, like broken bones and torn ligaments and the like. Jack was pretty sure of how strong he was, but the end result was out of his expectations. Hell, he seemed to have gotten stronger since the encounter with the coyote earlier, which made no sense. Just why did his strength gain several levels, even if it was only for split second? He just couldn''t chalk it up to adrenaline. There was something more to it. Could it be the fault of that ethereal energy he felt during his showdown with the animal?


    Anyways, after the preliminary look-see was complete, the paramedics were ready to take the perp to the nearest hospital for a further treatment. Whatever would happen to that guy, it was out of Jack''s hands now. There was a slight worry that the perp might blab on about him being a Super and all that, but Jack and Taylor agreed that as long as the two of them maintained the same story, the perp''s version wouldn''t wash.


    The store''s clerk was hanging on by the proverbial thread after losing a lot of blood so he was already rushed away from the scene. All Jack could do for that guy was to pray for him, although he wasn''t particularly religious to begin with. There were Supers who were devout followers/believers of their chosen faiths, though.


    The paramedic finished up fixing Jack and said that he''d be back in a jiffy, before entering the back of the ambulance to do something. Jack didn''t have enough energy to take a closer look, nor did he care, so that was that.


    Instead, he fished out his phone and took a quick glance at the screen; still no reply from either of his parents. He''d been trying to contact them for a while, but for some reason or the other, both of them couldn''t be reached. When Jack dialed Min-jung''s number, the call went straight to the standardized automated voicemail, not the customized one, as if she was in an area where there was no network. That was bit odd, not to mention slightly worrying.


    And Bob was in the middle of an important meeting with a client accompanied by his boss on a golf course. Naturally, his phone was off as well. Jack had to wait for a bit longer before he could get in touch. Sighing grandly, Jack pocketed his phone and leaned against the frame of the ambulance, feeling just a bit dejected. He thought about calling his sister but in the end, chose not to, because he just knew what kind of reaction Dana would have.


    Taylor was far luckier with contacting her parent. Her dad immediately agreed to come over, which kind of made Jack a bit envious inside.


    Envy aside, he wondered why his mother couldn''t be reached at all in the middle of a Saturday. It wasn''t like she was working on an urgent assignment or anything and had to rush to her lab. She did say she was going to see some old acquaintances and that she might be a little late coming home, but nothing about her phone being off at all.


    This was not like her. Jack tried her office, the big pharmaceutical company, but the answer was not so good; they too had no clue where she was.


    Having gone through this one crappy ordeal after another, Jack was feeling just a bit paranoid. He hoped for nothing bad happening to his mom.


    The desire to go home and just lie down for a while grew so much, it was making him somewhat impatient. It had been one exhausting day so far and he had very little mental energy left to sustain him.


    There was one more thing that greatly bothered him ¨C when Jack was near the dying clerk, he ended up, inadvertently, absorbing some amount of red soul oozing out of the wounded man. It was not a lot, but still, Jack was worried it might have some kind of negative consequences, for both himself and the clerk. One more reason to bury his head in the sand and try to pretend nothing was going on with him.


    But he knew very well that was not how the world worked.


    The words Taylor spoke the moments before the cops showed up still rang in his ears.


    You should have moved. That man wouldn''t have been shot if you acted faster, Jack.


    Jack wanted to retort that her idea of him coming to the rescue was insane. He wanted to refute her logic but, seeing that he did take an action after all, maybe she had a point, that she was right to blame his indecisiveness. His body now possessed the power, even if it was only the bare acceptable minimum required for a Super.


    Jack looked at his hands. There was not a drop of blood on them anymore. They were regular hands. Innocuous, even. Jack touched his face with those hands to confirm that, indeed it was his face. The pale reflections of him on the ambulance''s glass showed him, not the blood-soaked monster from before.


    What the hell am I? What the hell is going on with me?! Jack slowly touched his face again, a choking, tightening feeling of being uncertain slowly creeping in. What am I turning into? What am I afraid of becoming? A monster?


    He had no clue. He wished for someone to tell him. Tell him that there was nothing to be afraid of, that the future would be alright. That he just needed to take one step at a time.


    The temptation to tell his parents welled up inside his heart like crazy. He couldn''t remember the initial reason for not opening up to them. Jack frowned, worrying just what kind of expressions Bob and Min-jung would make when they hear their son was a Super. And one with a very unusual set of powers at that.


    As he was sitting on the back bumper of the ambulance continuously sighing and thinking all these unhappy things, Jack suddenly sensed a movement from up in the sky. Once more, his enhanced hearing played a key part in quickly picking up the clues.


    When he raised his head, Jack saw a costumed figure descending down from the sky. Jack could tell right away that a Super had come to take in the situation.


    Narrowing his eyes, Jack carefully observed the unexpected arrival of this Superhero. He didn''t immediately recognize who this was supposed to be, but even still, he could sense some type of unnatural ripples, fluctuations, in the air as the Superhero slowly landed on the ground near the police cars.


    Jack''s mind told him that, physically, he was no match for this guy. Not even close. The disparity of strength between them was just too vast. He wasn''t sure how he could tell this fact, though. It was almost like a primal instinct, helping him recognize a superior predator so he could quickly run away if it came to that.


    With his pale gray cape whipping in the wind ¨C even though there wasn''t any ¨C the mask wearing Superhero scanned the lot before latching on to the supervising officer at the scene and gallantly strode over, his facial expression, what''s visible of it anyway, solemn and serious.


    There was a Greek alphabet Alpha etched on his chest armor in gold which contrasted rather gaudily against his costume''s gray color scheme. It wasn''t at the level of irredeemable campiness but also it was something Jack would never, ever wear voluntarily on his own, not even for a million dollars. Well, if someone offered a billion, then maybe, he could be persuaded to having a change of heart. Maybe.


    The Superhero had a pair of matching, lengthy batons mounted on his hips and some kind of utility belt commonly seen on construction workers worn around his waist. He looked exactly like a comic book superhero come to life. But not in a particularly good way, not to Jack''s sensibilities anyways. But his sudden appearance seemed to have sparked a huge commotion from the cops and the onlookers. Apparently, his preference was his alone, as everyone else seemed to unanimously approve of this get-up.


    The paramedic who was inside the ambulance peeked out at after hearing all the commotion, and when he recognized the Super, murmured in shock. ¡°Holy cow, that''s Alpha Man of the Scales of Justice. What''s he doing here?¡±


    The Scales of Justice, huh? Jack nodded inwardly after remembering the name of this group. Even he had heard about this collection of Superheroes; many did.


    The SoJ, as they were known sometimes, consisted of the Supers who wanted to uphold the law and serve the society in the name of justice and all that. In other words, a bunch of altruistic, idealistic fools that the world desperately needed as a beacon of hope. Even if the said world was a cynical and corrupt one, deep down to its core.


    Alpha Man spoke to the officer in charge, exchanging lengthy words and waving his hands at the crowd before striding over to where Taylor was. She visibly stiffened up at the sight of a costumed hero but recovered enough faculty to have a reasonable chat with him. Jack could see how nervous she was, and how awkward the atmosphere became as a result.


    Then it was his turn to talk to the Superhero. Alpha Man walked over to where Jack was and smiled warmly, extending his hand for a friendly shake.


    ¡°How are you holding up, son?¡±


    His voice was a lot kinder than Jack expected it to be. Deeper, too. Quite smooth as well, like a husky Jazz singer drowning in bourbon or something like that.


    ¡°Been better,¡± Jack shook his head slightly, frowning a little at the glare of the sunlight briefly reflected from one of Alpha Man''s costume flourishes.


    The two of them shook hands but as they parted, Alpha Man asked.


    ¡°Mmm. I have seen you from somewhere before, haven''t I? I''m sure of it. Oh, wait a minute!! You are Jack Mercer if I''m not mistaken.¡±


    Jack smiled wryly. ¡°Yeah, I am.¡±


    Normally, being recognized by a celebrity would be a cool thing to happen to anyone, but as he was right now, Jack couldn''t help but think that it was all just a little on the anti-climatic side of things.


    Unaware of such thoughts percolating in the teen''s mind, Alpha Man simply looked at him with pity. ¡°It''s really terrible that you had to endure two ordeals like this. You have my sympathy, young man.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Maintaining the wry smile, Jack nodded his thanks.


    ¡°You don''t need to worry; We, the members of SoJ and the police force, will work tirelessly to bring the perpetrator to justice. I, Alpha Man, guarantee it.¡±


    Alpha Man stated his intent matter-of-factly. Jack realized that the Superhero in front of him was dead serious in saying this. Flabbergasted, he had to ask in a manner that was rather close to being a retort instead of a question.


    ¡°How would you do that?! The robber was wearing a ski mask. He got in a car and drove off to god knows where. He''s probably long gone by now. Half way to Mexico, even.¡±


    ¡°Due to your timely intervention, the police has successfully apprehended the other suspect. And I have a feeling that he will cooperate with the investigation in full. With his confession, finding his partner in crime is only a matter of time. I just know it!!¡± said Alpha Man. Again, he was dead serious, completely sincere with his words.


    Jack blankly looked at the hero for a second or two, before nearly spitting out another retort that it''d be the police, not him nor SoJ that would end up catching the bad guy instead, but held back before making a social faux pas. The paramedic was watching this exchange with glittering eyes right next to him, and that facial expression left Jack wry and speechless. Sighing, Jack simply agreed half-heartedly and nodded.


    This defeatist gesture didn''t please Alpha Man much, but he knew not to criticize the boy as he was now. He was well aware of the hardships this young Jack Mercer had to go through, so being reticent and dispirited wasn''t too surprising a behavior to witness.


    What troubled Alpha Man the most, though, was that girl, Taylor Finn. She was constantly on guard against him for some reason, as if she couldn''t trust him fully. That slightly hurt this pride; after all, his image as the righteous man of justice was something he took a great deal of pride in.


    Alpha Man went to a great length to ensure his image was of someone solid and dependable, someone who even the most cynical man would wholeheartedly give his trust to. In fact, that carefully cultivated image was actually not a facade but real him. That''s how strived to live his life every day.


    So, when a person showed a dislike to this image, it hurt. And a teenage girl was showing a clear lack of trust in him, in the image of Alpha Man. So yes, it hurt his pride a bit. Inwardly, he swore to track down the armed robber and bring the perp to justice. That''d show her that he could be trusted, that he was a righteous man of justice.


    The paramedic who was next to Jack hurriedly introduced himself and shook Alpha Man''s hand enthusiastically, bringing another wry grin on Jack''s face.


    The talk naturally flowed to the reasons why a Superhero like him would show up in a small scale armed robbery gone wrong like this.


    ¡°I was returning from an assignment when I saw the officers gathering here. I wanted to contribute by offering my skills, so here I am,¡± was Alpha Man''s reply.


    The paramedic''s eyes went round and all sparkly from admiration.


    Jack, on the other hand, saw it as a pure coincidence that a Superhero was passing by the right place and at the right time. Nothing to write home about there.


    Meanwhile, a vintage British luxury car drove up to the police cordon. Taylor''s eyes brightened for a moment as she stood up from the patrol car''s open backseat.


    A well-built man in early forties exited the vintage car in a hurry. He was wearing what one would call a chauffeur''s uniform ¨C a black suit, matching gloves and a driving cap. But hell, he looked sharp and neat, like some kind of a model.


    A policeman tried to stop him from going beyond the police cordon but after explaining who he was, he got through. It didn''t take long before he spotted his daughter.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Taylor sighed happily as the handsome chauffeur ran up to her and embraced her tightly.


    ¡°Holy cow, Taylor. You okay? You are not hurt, right? You had me so damn worried, girl.¡± The man spoke in a worried voice as he stroked her hair.


    They remained in the tight hug for a good while before Taylor pushed him away.


    ¡°Dad, your suit.¡±


    She frowned as her hands carefully smoothed down the creases on her father''s suit.


    ¡°Don''t be silly, kiddo. That''s what ironing is for.¡± Finn senior chuckled and lightly kissed Taylor''s forehead. ¡°Are we done here? Can I take you home now?¡±


    He looked around and met his gazes with the detectives on the scene. The cops nodded, saying that they will be in touch after handing over a business card.


    Alpha Man watched the tender reunion of a father and a daughter with a pair of warm eyes before turning to Jack. ¡°What about your parents? Are they coming to get you?¡±


    ¡°I can''t get a hold of them,¡± said Jack, shrugging his tired shoulders. ¡°Don''t worry about it. I''ll hitch a ride home, somehow.¡±


    Alpha Man nodded his consent before walking over to Taylor and her dad to introduce himself. Jack watched them chat, seeing how awestruck Taylor''s dad was and couldn''t help but think that maybe he was the abnormal one here for not getting all psyched and worked up after meeting a genuine Superhero.


    After all the pleasantries were finished, Alpha Man made his way over to the robber, stretched out on the gurney and ready to be shipped off to a hospital. He was planning to interrogate the perp for more information but when he saw the terrible state the man was in, he couldn''t hide his shock.


    The robber had so much of him broken. This level of damage would be very, very difficult to pin down on a regular teenager riding an irresistible burst of pure adrenaline to achieve. It wasn''t entirely impossible, but the likelihood of it happening was literally one in a million.


    The robber himself was too delirious from the effects of sedatives to answer his questions. That meant he had to review the closed-circuit camera footage inside the convenience store in order to solve this riddle.


    Alpha Man raised his head and stared at Jack Mercer, watching the boy scratch the back of his head apologetically as he talked with Taylor''s father. The Super hesitated, wondering to himself if it was wise to act rashly, based only on his gut feelings.


    He whispered under his breath. ¡°Could that boy be a Super? Maybe, he''s not aware of it himself as yet?¡±


    His words were too softly spoken for anyone else to hear. But the serious expression visible from the gaps of his mask definitely told enough of a story for a passerby to not bother him at that moment.


    Unaware of any strange thoughts towards him, Jack was busy thanking Taylor''s father, David Finn, for giving him a ride home. His bicycle was mounted onto a rack on the rear bumper of the car alongside Taylor''s.


    Once they got in the luxurious vintage vehicle, Jack began apologizing as well to David for putting his daughter through a rough ordeal. He thought it was the right thing to do under the circumstances.


    ¡°No need to apologize, Jack. It wasn''t you who decided to rob that store after all. Right? The way I see it, you are the savior of the day, so that''s something you should be proud of.¡±


    David told the boy as he smoothly drove the car. Taylor and Jack sat in the back seat.


    Jack was shocked at how quiet it was. Also, the ride quality was absolutely incomparable to either of his parents'' cars. Even though they were moving, Jack couldn''t feel it at all. As a matter of fact, his phobia of moving cars wasn''t acting up as badly as before ¨C so much so that he could remain much more composed than usual. He was glad about not showing his his weak side to Taylor or her dad.


    David continued with his speech.


    ¡°Jack, it''s not easy to make a life or death decision when you have a gun waved in your face. Only the bravest, toughest man can do that. I should know. So, today, you saved my daughter, you saved yourself, and maybe you even saved the future victims of that robber. You have every right to feel proud of what you have done.¡±


    ¡°I... I sure don''t feel like that, Mister Finn,¡± Jack shook his head slowly.


    The feeling of being unsure still gnawed at him. He couldn''t tell whether him stepping up from the beginning would have made any difference at all after it was said and done. Not with his limited strength, anyway. He got lucky this time. Even Jack had to admit that fact.


    ¡°Oh, come on now, don''t sell yourself short like that, Jack. Be more proud of your achievements. You did good today, and that''s the end of the story.¡±


    David smiled as he adjusted the sharp sunglasses on his nose. He also rubbed his chin full of an unshaven but carefully groomed stubble.


    Jack took another look at the man; he seemed younger than his age. Hell, he was certainly not what Jack was expecting in the first place. Plus, his outfit ¨C it was definitely a chauffeur get-up. But it was also at the same time, not really.


    Whatever David did for a living, Jack decided not to pry. He recalled Cindy McAlister making fun of the profession David chose to earn money. It was a weird subject for him to approach, so he''d rather not.


    ¡°So, uh, how did you meet Taylor? What''s the story here?¡±


    David asked as he gazed at Jack''s reflection in the rear view mirror.


    A figurative question mark floated above Jack''s head initially before he realized the undercurrent of David''s query.


    ¡°We go to the same school, dad,¡± Taylor quickly replied, not giving Jack time to say that there was nothing going on between the two of them.


    ¡°Really? That''s nice,¡± chuckled David. ¡°You know, it''s the first time you showed up with a friend after entering that school. And with a boy, no less.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, dad. We are just friends, that''s all.¡± Taylor rolled her eyes as she refuted her father.


    David simply smirked and spoke under his breath, as if he was inadvertently letting out his own inner thoughts. Meaning, for his passengers to hear it as well.


    ¡°Sure didn''t look like that, though ¨C jumping out in front of a gun to save you and all.¡±


    ¡°Dad!!¡± Taylor angrily punched David on his shoulder.


    ¡°Oh!! Ouch, kiddo. That hurts. Hey, watch, it. I''m still driving here. What? Oh, you heard that? My bad.¡±


    Even though he was apologizing, David continued to smirk.


    Jack was left speechless, but in a good way. He wasn''t sure how to explain his relationship with Taylor without tangling himself up in a web of lies. The way he saw it, David didn''t seem to know his daughter was a Super. If he could help it, he didn''t want to affect the dynamics of the Finn family. If Taylor wanted to tell the truth, then she would find the right time to do just that. Jack shouldn''t even figure into this equation, like, at all.


    So, for now, he had to let the misunderstanding brew on its own.


    Taylor will probably correct it in the future. Probably. Right?


    After putting this matter aside, Jack fell into a deep thought, thinking about the way forward. Even though he was mentally tired, there were several things tumbling around in his head, now that there was some peace and quiet. His phobia was staying hidden, the ride was buttery smooth, and the pleasant banter between Taylor and her dad was oddly relaxing to listen to. His mind soon settled, finding a good little space to contemplate and organize. Might as well take the advantage of it, then.


    He thought back to his encounter with the wild coyote. How did he know where to strike, and precisely when? And just now, against the armed robber ¨C how did he manage to land such a clean hit that would make a professional boxer green with envy? After that, how did he predict the bullet''s path and duck in time?


    Before he knew it, Jack was looking at his hands again. No blood there on them, just some bandages and stuff.


    Could it be.... that dream ¨C no, that memory of the.... past has done something to me? Could my current weird condition have something to do with that?


    His brows furrowed slightly as a strange thought began to creep up on him.


    Wait, is it possible that I somehow regained the memories of my past life? Those memories, manifesting as dreams, are now changing my body and giving me these otherworldly reflexes? That man in my dreams was an incredible Super, as if he was.... a demigod or something incredible like that. Am I... inheriting his battle knowledge and his powers?


    But is that even possible? Reincarnation and all that? Scientifically, no, it''s not. But how else do I explain what''s happening to me?


    The mere thought of this totally weirded him out, big time. The world was indeed filled with oddballs and Superheroes but there was a line that even Jack thought couldn''t be crossed. And these mystical things that couldn''t be figured out by science were exactly where that line was drawn. Perhaps, he thought, this was because his mother happened to be a scientist.


    Some of the abilities exhibited by the Supers around the world bordered on being magical, but they all had some sort of scientific explanations behind them, as preposterous and almost improbable as they sounded sometimes. So far, no powers that could defy the scope of ¡°logical¡± thinking had shown up. Jack thought that was simply because such powers didn''t exist to begin with.


    Yet, here he was, stepping onto something crazy and difficult to explain. The red souls of the dead and his memories of the distant, unrecorded historical past served as the proof of how limited his line of thinking was. What he was experiencing right now could be rightfully called mystical, supernatural.


    Jesus, how do I even begin to explain this to my parents?! Absolutely insane....


    All Jack could do was sigh and massage his aching temples. He unbuckled his seat belt, after feeling the material chafing into his chest via ruined shirt. That proved to be another piece of bad timing on his part.


    ¡°What the?!¡±


    David suddenly shouted out in surprise and he slammed on the brakes. The vintage luxury car screeched to an abrupt halt. Both him and Taylor had left their seatbelts on so they were fine, other than having their breaths stolen from the belts tightening around their torso.


    But for Jack, he wasn''t so fortunate and his head painfully crashed into the back of the front passenger seat with a vengeance.


    ¡°What''s going on, dad?!¡± Taylor asked in alarm, while Jack groaned in dizziness as he tried to take stock of the situation.


    ¡°Uh... that,¡± said David as he pointed at the road ahead.


    Before them, three figures were blocking the way forward; a frail but handsome boy wearing glasses, an athletic-type girl with a good, tall physique, and another with an exotic Oriental countenance.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 9: The Choice

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 9: The Choice</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Taylor let out a shocked gasp as soon as her perceptions locked onto the three teens blocking the road out in front of the car.


    ¡°Supers!! All of them are Supers!!¡±


    Jack snapped out of his daze at the outburst and focused on the front. Seeing the three mysterious figures, suddenly he was beset with this strange incongruity, one that he couldn''t quite explain. It was as if he somehow knew them. Or, at least, supposed to know them. Of course, such a notion made no sense as he was pretty sure of never meeting the three before. He''d have remembered.


    And then, there was something about the body language of the trio.


    Not only Jack, but even Taylor and her father thought something was not quite right here. There was a small difference between them, however; Jack''s awakened instincts were telling him that there''d be a massive crisis about to unfold and the cause of that chaos was going to be the three teenage Supers blocking his way.


    Jack unconsciously gulped. He felt hairs on the back of his neck stand up.


    The athletic girl, Cleo, glanced at the glasses-wearing boy, Erik, to her side and asked. ¡°Is that him?¡±


    ¡°Mm. Should be. You can feel it too, don''t you?¡±


    Erik, Lei and Cleo slowly nodded to each other in unison.


    Meanwhile, as the premonition of something bad happening got stronger, Jack hastily shouted at David. ¡°Mister Finn, back up the car!! We need to leave, right now!!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Wh... right, good idea.¡±


    Finn Senior replied, and engaged the reverse gear.


    The shape of Cleo blurred. She moved so fast, it only left behind an afterimage, although Jack could barely catch her within his vision.


    Cleo grabbed the impressive, upright grille of the vintage luxury car with both hands. Grinning like a maniac, she then began to lift the car up in the air. The metal creaked and shuddered as the most unnatural scene ever witnessed by the passengers transpired right before their shocked eyes.


    In a manner of seconds, she clean-lifted the weighty automobile with ease. Maintaining her grin, she observed the occupants inside curiously. What she saw was, of course, the faces of panicked and gobsmacked people.


    Unconcerned in the least, Cleo lightly tossed the car to the side. The impact was immense even if her actions seemed quite casual at a glance, like swatting a fly away or something like that.


    The car bounced and rolled on the asphalt with vengeance, until it crashed into a parked car with a thunderous bang, setting off a chain of alarms in the vicinity.


    Cleo grimaced as the unwelcome symphony of shrill noises filled the air.


    ¡°Noisy!! Lei, do something, will ya?!¡±


    Cleo complained loudly. Lei, the Oriental girl, sighed and shook her head as if it was a bother. Without saying anything, she lifted a battered and scratched first-gen iPod out of her pocket ¨C where an earphone cord was still attached, with the said earphones connected to her ears.


    Her fingers swiped on the round touchpad for a couple of seconds, before several almost-imperceptible arcs of blue lights shot out from the aged device, landing on the cars with their alarms going off in tandem. With a comical fizzle, all of those noisy alarms died out in an instant.


    ¡°Happy?¡± Lei asked sarcastically.


    ¡°Yeah!!¡± Cleo grinned innocently.


    Meanwhile, in the vintage luxury car, the world had turned upside down, because the car was actually on its roof. Both Taylor and her father still had their seatbelts on so they avoided being thrown around, but Jack wasn''t so fortunate in that regard.


    His wounds had reopened, blood was seeping out of almost everywhere, and the smashed, broken glass bits were continuously cutting into his skin. On the flip side, he was not confined to his seat in the upside down position like the others, and was currently groaning on the ceiling of the car that had now become the floor.


    Jack''s head spun like crazy from that experience. Now he knew what it felt like to be laundry stuck inside a tumble dryer. And boy, did it not feel particularly good. Not at all.


    Fighting the rising urge to vomit, Jack brushed away the bits of glass away from his face. Then he hurriedly asked the other passengers. ¡°Hey, are you guys alright?¡±


    Taylor groaned softly, still trapped in her seat and unable to move. ¡°Do we look alright to you?! Gosh, I''m stuck!! What about you, dad?¡±


    David moaned weakly, his replies indistinct. Jack grabbed the front passenger seat and pulled himself up in the crumpled, messy interior, only to find Finn Senior unconscious and bleeding heavily from a cut somewhere in the head. Because he was upside down in the driver''s seat, his arms were hanging limply on his sides, his sunglasses rolling around on the ceiling, broken.


    Jack quickly felt for his pulse and breathed a sigh of relief when he sensed the blood pumping in the veins.


    ¡°Your dad''s knocked out cold. He''s in a bad shape. We gotta get him to a hospital!!¡± Jack shouted as he tried to free him from the confines of broken seatbelt. The buckle frame was bent at a weird angle and was difficult to pull free.


    Taylor became frantic after hearing that David was wounded. ¡°Damn it!! This stupid thing.... Oh, god. Jack, they are coming!! Can you help me get out of this?!¡±


    Jack was having trouble trying to free David at the moment, but after hearing Taylor''s desperate cries, he peeked outside the car. Indeed, the three Supers were leisurely walking towards them, a certain domineering swagger evident in their strides. The situation was rapidly turning critical.


    The intense foreboding became only thicker in Jack''s heart. If his premonition was correct, then he was not going to live to see the end of the day. He needed to do something, and do it urgently.


    What the hell do they want? Is it Taylor? Or could it be me? Could it even be Mister Finn? No, that can''t be; he should be unrelated to this, whatever this is. It has to be either me or Taylor that they want.


    Jack''s mind furiously spun, trying to understand and formulate a strategy for his survival.


    As far as I can tell, no one knows Taylor''s secret. But as for me, my recovery speed after the incident was way too fast. There''s bound to be someone out there suspicious of that. With a little investigation, my own secret could have been exposed!! If that''s the case, then what now?! What do they want with me?


    Jack gritted his teeth. He could not come up with a good way to survive at all in this short amount of time he had.


    It was then, a spark was lit inside; an idea came to him.


    Right!! Alpha Man!! He''s not too far. As long as the news of the Supers causing the ruckus here, he will show up!! With all that car alarms going off, surely the residents here would''ve called the cops by now!! Yes, that''s it!!


    A grim determination filled Jack''s eyes as he now understood what he needed to do.


    Right, all I have to do is stall for time. At least for a few minutes. Then that Superhero will come. I need to bet everything on this!!


    Jack felt like a desperate fool but since he had no choice, he had to act now. He turned to look at Taylor and solemnly told her.


    ¡°You need to get your dad and yourself out of here and call for help. I''ll stall for time until Alpha Man arrives. He should still be nearby.¡±


    Her face paled but, after regaining her composure, she nodded quickly. ¡°Hey, Mercer, do me a favor ¨C don''t die yet, okay?¡±


    Jack smiled wryly, before proceeding to open the bent backdoor of the car. It didn''t want to budge, so he ended up kicking at it, hard. As the result, the latch broke in half, and the door flung open on the first try, even surprising himself.


    He crawled out of the upside down car with some difficulty and had to ignore the cries of pain from his own body. Every one of his muscles and bones ached, all the small cuts bleeding incessantly and ceaselessly screaming for his attention.


    After standing up and out of the damaged car, Jack could better see the three Supers before him.


    Wiping the trace of blood trickling down onto his right eye, Jack looked at the three, who had stopped advancing and stood about dozen feet away from where he was.


    ¡°I don''t know who you guys are, but mind telling me what''s this all about?¡±


    Jack asked as the bitter taste of blood registered in his mouth. He spat the accumulated blood out onto the pavement, hoping no tooth would accompany that discarded saliva. Thankfully, nothing such came out. Jack could still give off a toothy grin if he wanted to.


    The three looked at each other as if trying to come to an agreement. Then with a single nod, the glasses-wearing boy, Erik, stepped forward and spoke.


    ¡°It''s like this. About a month ago, we felt.... you, waking up.¡±


    An inexplicable chill ran down Jack''s spine. Feeling dazed at the unexpected answer, his lips moved on their own, his voice sounding rather dull-witted.


    ¡°I''m sorry? You what?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. It''s hard to explain. We''re not sure of it ourselves. But... here''s the thing. There''s this discord, a strange wavelength, coming off you that makes us want to.... well, in the case of my friend Cleo here, fight you.¡±


    Jack''s face darkened. He felt like groaning out loudly while saying something smart and insightful about the absurd reason Erik gave him. But he was no idiot; this situation, whatever this was, it was seriously dangerous.


    But as ever, there was a silver lining to this situation, and that was him being their sole target. As long as he moved away from here, Taylor and her father would be alright.


    He clenched his fists tightly and addressed the trio. ¡°Well, that''s too bad, ''cuz I''m not interested in fighting you or whatever. Right now, I''m really tired. It''s been a long day, you see. I just want to go home and get some rest. So, you mind just calling it a day and please move on? How about it?¡±


    While saying this, Jack slowly inched away from the wreckage of the upside down vintage car. It was measured, painfully slow but he didn''t want to make the other party react too suddenly.


    Cleo tilted her head in confusion, while Lei and Erik looked at each other, somewhat conflicted as well. But that was for only a brief moment.


    By the time Jack got to the second car, Erik frowned slightly and ordered Lei next to him.


    ¡°Stop him, Lei.¡±


    She sighed and shook her head as if she thought this was all a massive waste of her time. She manipulated the touchpad on her iPod again, then a single wisp of blue light shot out from the device, headed straight to the car Jack was leaning on.


    The door nearest to him snapped open like a spring-loaded trap and blocked his attempt at inching away. Jack felt a waterfall of sweat suddenly developing on his back.


    So, the tall girl is the muscle, the one named Lei has powers to manipulate.... electronics? What about the guy with glasses?


    Someone once said knowing the enemy''s abilities was a vital ingredient to achieving success in the battlefield. But to Jack, it didn''t seem like a useful advice right at this point. He could make some kind of contingency plan against Lei, but what about Cleo and the glasses boy?


    Jack glanced at the car, remembering his original goal, that of stalling for time until the help could arrive. He had to distance himself away from here, taking the three assailants'' attention away from its occupants and solely focused on him.


    Taking a deep breath, Jack took a long, hard look at the boy, Erik, and asked. ¡°I''m guessing this....¡± He tapped the open door with his knuckles. ¡°....Means a no?¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Erik nodded. ¡°Sorry. We came a long way, risking an awful lot just to come and meet you, to confirm something really important to us. So, yeah ¨C no, we can''t call it a day just like that. Not yet.¡±


    It was an expected answer. Jack no longer hesitated. He quickly turned around and, by utilizing his slightly improved agility, jumped over the car''s hood and dashed away behind the row of parked vehicles.


    ¡°He''s getting away!!¡± Cleo shouted loudly before chasing after him.


    Lei rolled her eyes and groaned. ¡°I hate this, Erik.¡±


    Erik held a cramped smile as he shook his head. ¡°What can we do? We came all this way so we don''t have a choice. Let''s go.¡±


    The two ran after Jack as well.


    But the chase itself didn''t last too long, as Cleo demonstrated her superiority in speed over Jack''s own. She closed the gap in a matter of seconds, jumping over a car''s roof to block Jack''s path.


    But he was counting on that and timed his own jump over the vehicle next to him. So, when Cleo landed grandly on the ground, Jack had landed on the other side of the parked cars. It was an inspired bit of improvisation, if he could say so himself.


    ¡°Eh? Where did he go?!¡± Cleo dazedly spun her head around, trying to locate him, only to see Jack run past her position on the other side. This infuriated her somewhat. ¡°You slippery little...¡±


    The very first thing she did was to punch a hole in the car''s side, then picking it up. She then used the said car as a baseball and threw it in an arc towards where Jack was heading.


    His intuition went crazy in that moment of deadly crisis. He didn''t have to look back to see a gray-colored family hatchback flying towards him like a deadly payload shot out of a catapult, aimed only at him and nothing else.


    However, once more, his body knew what to do. He instantly twisted on his axis, dodging the thrown vehicle with only millimeters to spare. The car then slammed into other parked vehicles on the opposite side of the street with a vengeance. The ensuing destruction was catastrophic in scale. Even the most sturdy-looking cars were blown away from the impact. No grand explosions, though. That was only in a Summer blockbuster, not in reality.


    Jack was dumbfounded at the scene of carnage, and then quickly realized in deep horror that if he were to get hit by another one of those projectiles, then he should forget about having an open casket funeral. Hell, the coroner might have to scoop Jack off the floor with a spatula if he wasn''t careful.


    Jack''s intuition kept on ringing the alarm bells, so he didn''t dally any longer and dashed forward, trying to put some more distance between him and the crazy but super-strong girl. His direction was towards where he came from ¨C or, more correctly, where the convenience store was. He just hoped that Alpha Man was still there, or already on his way here. A slim hope, but a hope nevertheless.


    Cleo threw another car in a fit of rage. She saw how he dodged the car and was inwardly flabbergasted at the display of Jack''s agile movement. Even she couldn''t have pulled that off. That peeved her a little bit.


    Jack dodged the second car with a room to spare ¨C her aim was a little off this time thanks to her agitation.


    ¡°Hey!! What are you doing, Cleo?!¡±


    Erik and Lei finally caught up to the rampaging girl and tried to stop her when she went for the third car to throw.


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean, what am I doing? I''m trying to stop him, you know!!¡±


    Cleo was clearly confused at the reactions of her friends so she tilted her head. Normally, some might say that''s cute, but that was impossible to say now, what with a car hoisted above her head, ready to be thrown.


    ¡°Are you trying to destroy the entire town?! Alert the whole world?! Stop before you cause more damage!!¡±


    Erik angrily shouted at her.


    ¡°Then what am I supposed to do?! He''s a crafty bastard, that one, you know!!¡± Cleo shouted back, exasperated.


    ¡°Well, you are faster than him, so chase him down,¡± Lei said as she tried to steady her breathing. ¡°You can do that much, right?¡±


    Cleo frowned unhappily but turned on her heels and dropped the car with a thud. Then she crouched, her leg muscles bulging. She pounced forward like an exploding bullet. The asphalt below her feet violently broke apart as her body was catapulted forward.


    In a literal blink of an eye, Cleo''s explosive burst of speed allowed her to overtake Jack. Stunned, he stopped in his tracks, which was a mistake.


    She reached out to grab him. Jack saw her movements, reading the way her shoulder and arm muscles flexed and tensed, something he started doing for the first time when facing that coyote. He still couldn''t explain how it worked nor why he could do it, but now wasn''t the time to complain.


    Jack knew how best to counter the movements, her attempts at grabbing him. The big issue here, though, was not that he could see and tell, it was more to do with the slow reaction times his body could only manage. Just like when he was with the coyote, or the robber''s gun.


    Jack tried to dodge out of her grasps, but it simply wasn''t enough ¨C Cleo easily found a sure grip on his shirt and with another burst of strength, tossed him lightly over. Jack''s already tattered shirt ripped even further as he flew in the air, his arms and legs comically waving about.


    Of course, he screamed.


    His shocked cries only ended when Jack landed on the hood of a parked car with a heavy thud. All the air in his lungs violently escaped, feeling like ripping his chest to shreds in the process. All his bones seemed to crack from that simple throw.


    Somehow, he was able to keep his consciousness and was able to roll off the damaged car, landing face first on the pavement. Groaning, he got up, but before he could react, Cleo was there. She shoved him in the chest, causing Jack to fly backwards and skid on the harsh asphalt for a good few feet. His back burned like hell.


    Jack kept his eyes open the whole time through sheer force of will. He watched as a confident grin grew wider on Cleo''s face. She seemed to be enjoying this. Well, he sure wasn''t.


    He had to do something, anything to persevere until the help arrived. He didn''t know when it would arrive, but it would come regardless. That much he was certain of. It had to.


    And sure enough, just as Cleo proudly walked towards him, triumphant in her victory, a figure began to quickly descend from the sky.


    Jack briefly squinted his eyes under the glare of harsh late afternoon sunlight, but he felt a powerful wave of relief the moment he heard the familiar voice shouting out the words ¡°Halt!! Stop this destruction of the private property!!¡±


    Cleo''s eyes narrowed as she watched Alpha Man stand before her. She couldn''t really tell whether this guy was serious or not, solely because of his get-up. Even Jack was slightly embarrassed at the Superhero''s costume, but whatever, the help had indeed arrived. Just in time, too.


    ¡°Can you stand, Jack?¡± Alpha Man asked without turning back.


    Jack pulled himself up with some difficulty, but grinned weakly as he righted his aching torso. ¡°Yeah, but be careful. There are two others. One can manipulate electronics, I think. As for the other one, I''m not so sure.¡±


    Alpha Man nodded. ¡°Don''t worry. The backup is coming.¡±


    ¡°Good, because there are a couple of people who need the medical attention back there,¡± said Jack as he clutched his aching side, sensing that maybe something might be broken there.


    Alpha Man grimly glanced into the distance, noticing the upside down car. His expression took on a darker shade after recognizing it. ¡°Get to a safer place, Jack. It will get messy from now on!!¡±


    Hell, you don''t have to tell me twice!! Jack sighed inwardly, as he began to force his weary and hurting body to walk away.


    ¡°Dunno who you are, mister, but this doesn''t concern you, so back the hell off,¡± growled Cleo as she approached Alpha Man in a confident stride.


    Immediately, he went on a high alert. He could tell this teenage girl was physically quite strong, maybe even as strong as certain members of SoJ.


    ¡°No, young lady. This does concern me. Please cease and desist. Hand yourself over to the police peacefully. Do not make your punishment worse by resisting me.¡±


    Alpha Man spoke with a solemn voice as he reached for the batons on his waist. He was not taking any chances here after seeing all the damage done to the area.


    Cleo snorted derisively and pounced. She was extremely quick, taking Alpha Man by surprise. However, the veteran Superhero had fought other powerful lawbreakers on multiple occasions before. He knew how to react in these types of situations.


    He predicted the potential trajectory of Cleo the moment she dashed forward. All he had to do was swing his batons at the right angle and at the right time.


    There was the solid connection between the reinforced material and Cleo''s body. She was blown away by her own momentum and the guile of the seasoned Superhero.


    She landed hard on the side of a parked car, lifting it off the ground for a couple of feet. Stuck inside the twisted metal, Cleo held her head as if it was going through a dizzy spell. ¡°Ouch, that hurts.¡±


    Jack could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel after witnessing that quick exchange of moves. He was now saved, without a doubt!! He could finally relax for a second.


    It was then Erik and Lei finally arrived on the scene. As soon as they did, Erik''s face darkened unhappily. ¡°Alpha Man, a member of the Scales of Justice. A registered Superhero. Damn, how did he arrive here so quickly?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Erik, do something, will ya,¡± Cleo groaned from the side of the car. Clearly, she was hurting from the impact as she gingerly stood up while holding her left shoulder.


    Erik nodded and glanced at Jack before taking his glasses off. Jack suddenly had another bad premonition when his eyes met with Erik''s. He felt like something was going to happen and it wasn''t going to be in his favor.


    Alpha Man also took guard against the new arrivals, carefully observing the pale boy and the Oriental girl next to him. And when the boy took off his glasses, Alpha Man realized that the boy''s powers must have a correlation with his eyes.


    So, he immediately jumped back, trying to get to a safe distance before an attack came his way. Too bad it wasn''t the type of attack he thought it could be.


    The moment their eyes were locked, Alpha Man felt all his strength drain out of him. He couldn''t even keep his balance and started to falter. If Jack wasn''t there to support the man, he''d have crashed down on the ground.


    ¡°Hey, get a hold of yourself!!¡± Jack desperately shouted at the Superhero. This was not what he expected to happen. The help was rendered helpless within seconds and the danger was yet to pass over. This was bad.


    Cleo was getting up, trying to swing her left arm. She winced a little but was able to move her limb just fine. ¡°Whew, that hurts but I think nothing''s broken, so yeah, it''s all good. You really surprised me there, mister.¡±


    There was a venom in her voice which made Jack shudder. He looked at Alpha Man and to his utter shock, both of the Superhero''s eyes had turned milky white with no irides in them. There was foam bubbling on the corners of his mouth, too. This was getting worse still, by the looks of things. He gasped desperately, wondering when the mentioned backup would arrive.


    Erik hurriedly put the glasses back on, his face paler than before and his eyes bloodshot. In fact, there was a hint of a nosebleed as well. ¡°Hey, Cleo ¨C let''s finish this quickly. There should be more of other Superheroes coming this way and very soon at that.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± nodded Cleo and she quickly approached Jack, reaching out to grab him again.


    Once more, Jack could see it, the way her muscles moved, telling him what her intentions were, and how to avoid being in a disadvantageous position.


    Gritting his teeth, he tried to move in the way that gave him the most advantage, but as usual, his speed was just too slow compared to her. She grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up.


    When this happened, Jack''s intuition had changed from avoiding being grabbed to how to free himself from her grasp. His hands shot up and lightly circled around Cleo''s wrists, before locking onto her joints and effortlessly brushing it away.


    Confusion was written large on her face as she lost all control of her own arms, before Jack lightly tossed her away, while kneeling forward on one knee. It was a picture perfect Aikido throw that even a master of the famed martial art would applaud for how flawless its execution was.


    She landed heavily on the ground. But she seemingly didn''t take much damage from the unexpected throw, as she bounced right back up without missing a beat. Still, confusion dominated her face, not sure of what just had happened. Not only her, but so did everyone else present here ¨C including Jack.


    But he had a moment of clarity then. If his strength and speed were found lacking as a result of possessing lower specs, then he''d best his opponents using techniques. As to just what techniques he''d use, well....


    His body, his instincts, knew the right ones already.


    Cleo came at him again. And she was faster; Jack could barely keep up.


    But the moment she was able to grab him, he somehow dislodged her grip and threw her off her feet. Again and again. It was like a weird dance between two well-choreographed dancers.


    By the fourth time she was thrown around, Cleo snapped in anger. Her face crumpled and one or two veins were popping on her forehead. Both Erik and Lei were watching from the side, stunned and bemused at the same time, by this strange turn of events.


    Cleo decided that she''d had enough of this ¡°trying to grab him¡± crap, immediately going for a powerful shove instead. But even then, Jack read her intentions correctly. He tilted his chest just enough to negate most of the blow. Still, Jack was flung back from the force, but managed the aftermaths without dying, which was a good news.


    It only served to infuriate Cleo even more, though, seeing that Jack was, relatively speaking, fine and was standing on his two feet unaided. She pointed at him and angrily stomped on her feet.


    ¡°Hey!! I dunno what you are doing, but stop it!! I hate cheaters, you know!!¡±


    Jack could only bitterly smile. Even though it looked like he was having an upper hand, in truth, he was barely hanging on. His energy was almost at the rock bottom; his entire body ached; his muscles were screaming from the overexertion. Worse still, he couldn''t completely avoid that last shove. He felt like that one of his ribs must have cracked from the impact.


    The situation was not getting any better for him.


    ¡°They are coming,¡± said Lei as she tapped Erik on his shoulder. ¡°We need to decide now, Erik.¡±


    The glasses-wearing boy sighed and nodded. ¡°Fine. Cleo, let''s wrap this up. We''ll take him with us.¡±


    ¡°But I can''t even grab him, you know?!¡± Cleo angrily stomped on the ground again, leaving an indentation of her foot on the hard asphalt. Seeing that power, Jack felt another cold sweat running down his spine.


    ¡°Take me where, exactly?¡± Jack frowned, cautiously observing the trio, trying hard not to topple over from fatigue and pain.


    ¡°....Well, you''ll see when we get there,¡± replied Erik.


    ¡°And if I refuse?¡± The bitter smile remained on Jack''s lips, but now, it was tinged with grim determination.


    Erik sighed again. ¡°Look ¨C I''ve seen enough from this exchange. You are.... related to us. I don''t know how, or why yet. But I''m intending to find out. Aren''t you at least a bit curious as to why we could feel your presence? That why you can do what you just did against Cleo? I know you have burning questions in your heart. I can sense them. Don''t you want answers to them?¡±


    Erik stepped forward and offered his hand.


    ¡°Come with us and maybe, just maybe, you will be able to figure this out. Get some answers, find the way to move forward in the future. What do you say?¡±


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 10: The Arrival

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 10: The Arrival</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Right about the same time as Jack was being given a choice of his lifetime, a passenger airplane was flying towards the runways of the famed JFK International airport on the other side of the continent. It was, for all intents and purposes, a regular commercial flight, packed to the brim with non-English speaking tourists looking to soak in the American culture, and maybe even catch the sight of a Superhero or two; wily businessmen coming back home after seeking a risky but financially rewarding venture abroad, or those wanting to find an opportunity to make it big in the so-called land of dreams; students wishing to further their academic careers in the famed universities strewn across all over the country; and other sorts of people, all with their own reasons and wants for being here.


    Among these disparate souls, there was one particular man. Other than a gentle smile on his handsome, Southern Mediterranean face, there was nothing outwardly remarkable about him. His clothes, his height, his hair color ¨C nothing about him stood out from the crowd.


    As the plane''s intercom alerted the passengers aboard the flight of the impending taxing on the runway, and a reminder to put their seatbelts on, this man glanced at the airport through the small, round window. He saw numerous aircraft in the various state of movement ¨C busy unloading passengers and cargo, busy loading passengers and cargo, busy taking off, busy landing ¨C he found the array of activity rather dizzying and full of life. It was an eye-opener for a first-time flyer like him.


    ¡°Finally...¡±


    He whispered softly under his breath. His face was calm, but there was a glint of anticipation flickering in his eyes as he swept his gaze on the visible architecture of the airport.


    The plane touched down without a drama; a sharp but distant squeak from the tortured tires kissing the tarmac; a slight lurch of the inertia.


    As soon as the exits were opened, the passengers stretched their cramped limbs and began to eagerly retrieve their luggage from the overhead compartments. This man was no exception. He only had to pull out a single bag, though ¨C a single, black, regular-sized gym bag with no identifiable markings on it. But the way he hefted it ¨C there was some weight hidden within. His muscles flexed under the shirt as he carefully hoisted the bag over his shoulder as if it was the most important thing in the entire world.


    He walked past the smiling stewardesses ¨C or the flight attendants, as they wanted to be known nowadays ¨C while returning a warm smile of his own, and made his way smoothly to the immigrations without encountering any obstacles. On the way, he checked out the many brash and colorful posters lining the walls and the ceilings of the corridors, loudly advertising each of the candidates running in the upcoming local election.


    There were other, equally eye-catching posters plastered there too, like the one about an anti-hair loss shampoo, or a certain famous soft drink beverage. Another one, about the upcoming blockbuster from Hollywood, with its square-jawed protagonist looking out into the distant unknown, face full of a contemplative grimace and one arm around a buxom heroine.


    Out of the riot of information overload, there was one poster that caught his attention more than the others; it was about an exhibit scheduled to open in the world-famous Metropolitan Museum of Art. Seeing this poster, the man''s face brightened just a little more, revealing a row of perfect white teeth under a charming smile, his dark green eyes glittering like a pair of fine jewels.


    He stood behind a line, just like everyone else, waiting for his turn to clear the customs. To ward off the boredom from creeping up on him, he decided to observe the people standing in front of him, behind him, all around him. There were men and women from all walks of life and simply watching and observing gave this man an endless amount of entertainment. And he discovered that, indeed, there were a lot of different faces and body shapes in the world. Him included, of course.


    ¡°Next,¡± said the customs officer. The man smiled and took his place, pulling out his passport and handing it over the counter. The officer was an African-American woman in her forties, blessed with a sort of face that belonged to someone who had been on the job for too long; tired and uncaring, but wizened like a sage at the same time.


    She received the passport and checked the front. It was issued by the Greek government. Not new, but never been used until now. Flipping it open, she saw the photo of the smiling man and his details. She began scanning his information on the computer terminal and asked him the standard questions.


    ¡°Purpose of your visit to the United States of America, Mister Gavalas?¡±


    The man smiled widely. ¡°Artifacts. Arcane, ancient artifacts. There''s an exhibition scheduled to open in a few days. I''m here for that.¡±


    The officer nodded. ¡°Oh, I heard about that one. I heard that it''s kind of a big deal. So, it''s for pleasure, then, Mister Gavalas?¡±


    ¡°You can call me Nico. And well, it''s for both ¨C for pleasure, and for business. Either way, I''m very excited to be here.¡±


    She nodded and glanced at the monitor to check the progress of the database search; a minute later, the result came back as negative. Nico Gavalas was not a wanted man, nor did he forge his papers, at least not according to what was showing on the computer monitor.


    She then asked him to place his gym bag on the conveyor belt that fed into the baggage scanner, and instructed him to step through the gray full-body scanner himself. Still smiling, he complied and loaded the heavy bag gently on the stationary belt before walking through the body scanner. The result was that... he was fine. No problematic items on his person whatsoever.


    But, as soon as the gym bag entered the scanning machine, the customs officer''s face changed color. She quickly stopped the machine and signaled to her partner, standing next to the scanner. Then, she turned to face Nico and slowly asked.


    ¡°Sir, can you tell us what''s inside the bag?¡±


    Her right hand reached towards the gun holster located on her hip while her left grabbed the walkie talkie, her movements practiced and her eyes alert, watching out for any untoward, suspicious behavior from the man before her.


    ¡°Oh, that?¡± Nico chuckled amiably. ¡°It''s my liege. You can probably tell that he can''t travel like the most of us, you see.¡±


    ¡°Sir, I advise you to open the bag and reveal its contents voluntarily. If it''s not a dangerous object you must declare your intentions before entering the country.¡±


    The customs officer then called for assistance over the walkie talkie. As for Nico, he shrugged his shoulders, smiling and sighed.


    ¡°Well. I didn''t want to show him to anyone just yet, but if you insist, then please, allow me.¡±


    He casually approached the bag and began carefully unzipping it. Then, he spread open the mouth of the bag, revealing a slab of stone and a pale golden skull. There was nothing besides the two, not even a toothbrush. At a glance, the skull looked to be an ordinary human bone ¨C besides its odd color, obviously ¨C but there was a symbol of some kind carved into the forehead area and the incisors were unusually sharp as well. But the air of ancientness coming off the skull was unmistakable, even to a layman.


    As soon as the overhead light hit the said skull, it began to radiate a blinding yet completely bizarre aura. This strange aura carried a strong, disgusting energy that when a person came into contact with it, he or she began to feel sick immediately. No one was spared, not even the customs officers. But they bravely held on, sweat beads forming on their foreheads.


    ¡°Isn''t it so beautiful?! So, amazing, so incredible!! This is the future of mankind!! Your king, about to return from the abyss!!¡± Nico proclaimed in the unadulterated reverence. His face was full of wonder, joy and even a hint of mad fervor.


    The officers were left completely dumbfounded. They have seen people trying to smuggle in money, drugs, weapons and even pets but this.... this was something totally new, leaving them unsure of what to do next. But they still had basic training to fall back to, if all the other avenues were exhausted.


    So, as a precaution, they drew their firearms and pointed at Nico. But their aims were not steady at all; they faltered ever so slightly as the effects of that bizarre light took hold.


    The African American officer found her voice first and loudly shouted at Nico. ¡°Sir, please step away from the items. I won''t repeat this warning. Step away from the unknown items!!¡±


    ¡°Unknown items?!¡±


    Suddenly, Nico''s face fell. A cold, crazed gleam began to burn in his eyes as a chilly sneer formed on his lips. It was not because be found what she said funny or amusing, no. It was because of a barely-contained fury bubbling under his skin.


    ¡°He''s not merely an item!! And he''s only unknown, because of you people fail to realize the true history of this planet, this world, which was hidden from you!! It''s only because you let those abominable heathens sitting on the thrones of power to manipulate the truth!! You, you are all at fault!! Every one of you!!¡±


    The crazed light in his eyes became stronger as he stepped forward towards the customs officer. She frowned, finding it harder to concentrate, trying her best to suppress the nauseating feeling from invading her consciousness like a disgusting worm.


    Her aim only wavered for a second; her vision grew blurry. Her finger slipped and landed on the trigger. But, to her confusion, no shots went off. Alarmed, she focused on the gun, only to find that, instead of the government-issued Glock, she was holding a book with a faded cover.


    She recognized it almost instantly ¨C it was her favorite collection of poems. She got through a very rough patch of her childhood thanks to this book, so how could she ever forget it? But obviously, it didn''t make a whole lot of sense for her to be holding onto a book, her favorite or not, right at this moment.


    Ignoring the officer''s confusion, Nico continued to bellow loudly as if he wanted everyone present to hear him.


    ¡°It''s only unknown, precisely because you are all a flock of sheep allowing yourselves to be fooled!! When will you open your dulled senses? When?¡±


    The sneer became colder, more domineering. Nico proudly scanned the crowd that had gathered around him; airport security officials and curious onlookers with their thumbs busily moving on their phones, snapping the photos and taking short and grainy videos of what''s been transpiring here, so they could share it on the various social media outlets with meaningless emojis attached at the end of each asinine posts.


    ¡°But it doesn''t matter anymore, now that my liege has come!! He''s here to reclaim what''s rightfully his!! You just wait and watch; this world will come to see the true history once more!! I swear it in my name!!¡±


    Nico then placed his palm on the stone slab. Originally, it was featureless and smooth, its edges worn down. Yet, the moment he touched it, strange, red arcane symbols suddenly began to wriggle into life, glowing in a similar manner as the golden skull and its bizarre aura.


    ¡°Sir!! Step away!!¡±


    The African American officer finally decided to do something. She did her best to disregard the confusion in her heart and reached out, grabbing Nico on his shoulder. Her aim was to pry him off the bizarre slab and thus stop whatever was happening from, well, happening further. In her confusion, however, she neglected to use the taser that was hanging on her hips. If she did, then the outcome perhaps would have been... different.


    When her eyes met Nico''s, she felt like all of her blood froze on the spot out of sheer terror.


    Nico Gavalas no longer had eyes. Instead, there were two empty sockets that were quickly filling up with blood. Soon, this blood overflowed out of the sockets and began to wash down on his face, down to his neck, down to his shoulders and chest.


    She had no time to react; the blood got on her hand too fast. She pulled back but that blood was on her, moving up alongside her arm, dyeing it in pure crimson hue.


    She tried to scream, but the blood entered her mouth, her nostrils, her ears, even her eyes, thus drowning her ability to voice out her terror.


    From the outside, it looked like she was going through a seizure. But her eyes had turned deep red, and blood oozed out of the corners of her mouth. She then collapsed where she stood with a heavy thud. Her lips opened and closed repeatedly, but no sound came out.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    The bizarre golden light from the skull suddenly took on a purplish hue. It was still golden but now laced with a tinge of purple, making it even more bizarre. One could even swear that the skull actually began to move on its own as the light intensified, its jaws moving and grinding.


    Not only that, the strange writings on the stone slab wriggled even more violently as if to break out of their stone imprisonment. The writings became brighter, bigger, more corporeal.


    The crowd started to panic after sensing that something was terribly wrong. They began to spread out in a disorganized fashion, trying to get away as quickly as possible.


    It was a step too late, however. When the wriggling letters on the stone slab met with the purple-gold light from the skull, an explosion of blinding light erupted, completely engulfing the entirety of the airport.


    The light permeated into every nook and cranny, sparing no one ¨C not even one soul. Hiding behind a wall was no use ¨C the light simply snaked past the edges, openings, gaps and found its way to attack a living creature. It didn''t matter whether that was a person or a mouse, a plant or a bird.


    Every creature was swallowed up in the purple-golden light.


    And when the light finally subsided, there was only a single person left standing; a madly smiling Nico Gavalas.


    ~


    Jack Mercer found himself on a crossroad, yet again.


    To his back, a car on its roof with its occupants currently trapped inside.


    To his front, three Supers his age, politely requesting that he accompany them some place.


    What should I do?!


    Jack asked repeatedly in his mind. But as ever, a satisfying answer proved to be elusive, just tantalizingly beyond his reach.


    Erik, perhaps sensing Jack''s reluctance, took a step forward and pointed at the car with Taylor and her dad still inside.


    ¡°Look, if you''re worried about them, we''ll help you to free the two. Lei here has already contacted the emergency services so they should receive help real soon. Nothing to worry about there.¡±


    Jack wordlessly checked the body language of the three Supers. The glasses-wearing boy looked earnest. The muscle girl, Cleo, seemed slightly bored with all the talking, while Lei seemed busy, her fingers darting over the ancient iPod like a hummingbird.


    Jack knew in his heart that there was only one way out here and that was to do as they say. He couldn''t last against the incredible strength of Cleo, not at his current condition, nor could he contend with the strange power of Erik. And he was no longer confident of escaping from whatever Lei could do. If they wanted him to accompany them somewhere, then that was that, no argument necessary.


    Jack sighed and slowly nodded. ¡°Okay, fine. But please help my friends first. Then I''ll go with you.¡±


    Erik smiled faintly. ¡°A wise choice. By the way, I''m Erik. That''s Lei, and this idiot here is Cleo. And you are?¡±


    ¡°Hey!! Who you calling an idiot?!¡± Cleo angrily stomped her feet and glared at Erik, who simply shrugged his shoulders and ignored her.


    Jack didn''t see the funny side, though. Instead, he simply answered, ¡°It''s Jack.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Jack, it is. Cleo, please help our friend here,¡± said Erik as he glanced at the athletic girl. She made an ¡°oh, well¡± kind of a face before lightly bounding towards the upside down vintage car.


    Alarmed slightly at the sudden burst of speed, Jack turned around to chase after her. It''d be a no laughing matter if either Taylor or her father got taken as an extra insurance.


    Jack pushed his aching and tired body to run but his chest, with its cracked ribs, didn''t make the task easy. Trying to breathe alone was too painful a reminder of how weak he was. Even though he gritted his teeth and forced his body to move, Jack wasn''t making any headway. Eventually, he felt like giving up, to rest and not give a damn about anything.


    Seeing him like this, Erik turned to Lei and asked her. ¡°Can you bring our ride around? I think Jack''s gonna die at this rate.¡±


    She nodded nonchalantly and glanced around the rows of parked cars. Their commotion had attracted quite a lot of witnesses, watching from the distant sidelines and not wanting to get involved with whatever shenanigans were going on.


    Lei did her thing with the iPod, and soon enough, a dark, nondescript four door sedan silently glided over where she stood. And there was no one driving it. This was the vehicle they ¡°borrowed¡± after disembarking from the Greyhound bus earlier on.


    Wordlessly, they entered the car ¨C Erik on the passenger''s side, Lei behind the wheels ¨C and like magic, the car began to drive on its own, creeping down the few yards to where Jack was, him busy trying to catch his breath while clutching his chest in pain.


    ¡°Get in,¡± said Erik after the car stopped next to Jack.


    Jack hesitated briefly, before climbing on the backseat. But he didn''t forget to ask. ¡°Hey, you know how to drive? You don''t look like you are old enough to have a driver''s license yet.¡±


    Lei continued to fiddle with her iPod, not even bothering to raise her head. ¡°It''s fine. I can drive almost any car I hack into. I''ve logged hundreds of hours in Forza 6, so it''s all good.¡±


    That''s a goddamn video game!! Jack almost blurted out impulsively before realizing that the car was moving on its own, with no input whatsoever from either Lei or Erik. The wheel turned on its own, the gas pedal and the brake all moved without anyone touching them. Even the gears shifted by themselves. Watching this scene play out was ever so slightly unsettling to Jack.


    ¡°Oh, and Jack, please hand me your phone. It won''t do if they end up tracking your movements, you see.¡±


    Jack reluctantly pulled out his smartphone from the pants pocket, but sighed weakly and tossed it over to Erik. The screen had a nasty crack on it and frame was bent over. It looked deader than a dodo. Erik shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly before throwing the dead phone out of the window.


    Their car finally stopped next to where Cleo was. She had already extricated the vintage luxury vehicle from the mess of the mangled wreckage and righted it. Next, she simply grabbed the twisted door and yanked it loose, chucking the now-useless metal away. She reached in and did the same yanking thing with the broken belt buckle, freeing David Finn from the seat.


    Taylor, of course, was screaming at her. ¡°Hey!! What the hell are you doing?! Let him go!!¡±


    Cleo retorted back. ¡°What does it look like I''m doing? I''m helping him, you know? Gosh, you''re so panicky.¡±


    She lightly carried unconscious David and propped him on the side of a nearby vehicle. Then she noticed an underarm holster and a pistol tucked in there. Cleo tilted her head slightly, wondering what the heck was going on, before snapping back to reality from Taylor''s shouts. Shaking her head, Cleo then went over to Taylor''s side and pulled the broken door open quite easily.


    ¡°Hey, don''t come near me, I can get out myself!!¡± Taylor shouted as she began to struggle against the belt buckle.


    Cleo lightly snorted. ¡°Hah, whatever, girl.¡±


    Ignoring the frantic Taylor, Cleo simply snapped the buckle off the frame and that was that.


    Now that she was free from the confines, Taylor ignored her own injuries and rushed to where her dad was. She hurriedly dialed 911 on the smartphone as her fingers checked for his pulse, confirming that he was still alive.


    Cleo shrugged her shoulders and climbed next to Jack in the car. Noticing that she was about to share the backseat with him, her eyes narrowed as she leaned over and peered closely at his pale face. ¡°I wanna know how you did what you did, you know? I''m gonna find out ve~ry soon.¡±


    Her face got too close to his, making him feel mighty uncomfortable. Jack was literally surrounded by the powerful enemies with no way to escape and being in a close proximity with the muscle of the group only served to confound things even more.


    Jack chose to do the only thing he could do here and ignored Cleo. Instead, he leaned outside the window and spoke to Taylor.


    ¡°I''m going with them. No choice in the matter. Take care of your dad ¨C and uh....¡± Jack hesitated on what he wanted to say next. It was not an easy decision to make, but at the same time, seemed like a no-brainer to him. Finally making up his mind, Jack sighed deeply. ¡°And please contact my family. Tell them I''ll be alright. You can... tell them everything if they ask you about it.¡±


    Taylor hid her shock, choosing to simply nod. She understood Jack''s decision well enough ¨C no point in trying to second-guess him at this stage. ¡°You take care of yourself, okay? And.... I''ll find you. That much, I promise you.¡±


    Jack grinned bitterly at that.


    The car drove off with the four of them, taking the road leading towards downtown.


    And as the car hummed and clunked softly from the undulations on the road, Jack found himself gripping the rear armrest hard once more. His phobia of moving vehicles was acting up again. His breathing quickened, his head felt heavy, his back was clammy, his chest was hurting and most importantly, his mind was spinning wildly, almost out of his control.


    The trio who kidnapped him initially failed to notice his predicament, instead talking to each other about someone chasing after them and stuff about some projects and such. Jack didn''t pay any attention to the contents. No, not that he did that deliberately, but he actually couldn''t.


    He sweated heavily, holding the armrest until his knuckles turned white, his breathing getting faster and shallower until Cleo finally took a glance at his way.


    ¡°Hey? You don''t look so good ¨C you feeling alright or what?¡±


    At Cleo''s puzzled questioning, Erik turned on the passenger seat and looked back.


    ¡°I think his injuries are pretty serious. You did go overboard as usual, Cleo.¡±


    ¡°Hey, what do you mean by that?! I properly held back, you know? Like how we agreed earlier!!¡± Cleo indignantly rebuked Erik''s remark, her face getting slightly redder.


    Ignoring her protests, Erik told Jack to hold on. ¡°We''ll get to our destination sooner than you think. Once there, you can ask for medical help, I think. So, hold on for a bit longer.¡±


    As soon as he was finished saying that, a squadron of police cars passed them by. There were also a couple of heavily modified supercars belonging to Supers following right behind as well. Their obvious destination must have been the street the four of them were on, causing all sorts of ruckus not too long ago.


    Jack''s face darkened. Even in his current condition, he could easily figure out that the repercussions of his actions, and of these three Supers, would be enormous. His life as he knew it, was basically over. Well, his would-be attempt at trying to live one, that was.


    He sighed weakly, allowing his pounding head slowly fall to his lap. His sight was fixed on his dirty, torn jeans, signs of blood smeared all over ¨C some his, the rest, uncertain.


    Jack wondered how shocked his parents and his sister might be after learning that he was a Super. He hadn''t lied explicitly to anyone but he did cover up his secret so maybe that was akin to lying, after all. Whatever, right now all his efforts so far seemed like a great waste of everyone''s time.


    And he felt awful about that, too. He remembered the concerned faces of his parents and how he curtly refused to talk to them, resolutely keeping secrets and ignoring all of their worries and caring hands just to wallow in his self-pity.


    No, wait ¨C I never felt that way, did I? I never felt pitiful, no. Yeah, I hated the fact that I didn''t have enough power. But self-pity? That can''t be.


    All I wanted to do was to get my revenge. That''s all I wanted. That''s all I obsessed over. I didn''t care who I hurt as long as my goal was reached....


    Jack massaged his temples, his pounding head feeling like he was surrounded by hundreds of loudspeakers, blaring rubbish House music nonstop.


    I.... hurt my family a lot? Did I? But...


    Inevitably, in order to vindicate himself, Jack began to sift through his memories, trying to see if he did cause unbearable pain to his family. At first, there was nothing and he was nearly relieved of his uncertainty. But then, the recollections hit him. Those small moments of heavy, worried creases, barely held back tears and mostly, hesitant hands wishing to reach out and touch him, to comfort him but failing to do so because of the unscalable wall he surrounded himself with.


    I.... I did hurt them. I am the worst...


    Jack''s mind darkened further with the invasion of several ominous thoughts. To him, disappearing from the face of the earth and not having to face the angry, disappointed and hurt family sounded much more preferable. If he indeed disappeared now, then his family would be spared further pain from his idiotic actions in the future. It seemed like a good deal to Jack, really.


    ¡°Hey, we''re almost at the destination, so hang in there,¡± said Erik as he worriedly examined Jack''s condition with his eyes.


    Jack raised his head and his wavering view caught the passing scenery outside. He was surprised to find that they were not heading into the city but instead, they took a ring road circling it and exited directly, heading further North.


    The avenues the car traveled on were quite familiar to Jack; he felt like he''d been here before. The signs of civilization lessened until there were no more buildings, only the untouched nature. The thick forest ran on either side of the road, sunlight failing to penetrate the tree canopy.


    No way in hell....


    Jack swore in his heart. His mind was spinning madly, faster than before. He definitely recognized this forest. There were no landmarks to memorize yet he remembered coming here.


    Soon they arrived at the automated gate belonging to a massive compound. The electrified fence ran all the way around the perimeter, with several large, clearly written signs loudly and threateningly proclaiming that any and all trespassers would be harshly dealt with.


    There were at least a dozen security cameras mounted on the various points of the entrance alone, although there was no one manning it. Everything was automated.


    Erik pulled out an old Nokia cellular phone that didn''t even have a touchscreen and dialed the only number stored on it. ¡°Hello? Yeah, we''re here with him. Please open the gate... number 6.¡±


    The gate creaked open soon after, and they were allowed beyond the fences. A verdant green lawn, meticulously kept, stretched as far as they could see. The only thing that broke this flat sea of green was a lone white tower, shooting up high into the sky.


    Jack took a deep breath as the rest of his memories flooded in. He had been here before, indeed. He came here with his mother and father a decade ago.


    Because... that huge tower belonged to Min-jung''s current employer.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 11: The Past

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 11: The Past</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    The ¡°borrowed¡± car drove on the lone stretch of the carefully maintained road leading up to the base of the huge white tower. When viewed from a distance, they were cutting through the beautiful lawn like a shark fin poking out of the green ocean''s surface.


    Jack remained silent, his phobia and pain no longer making a fuss and making his life difficult. Because currently, he was concentrating very hard to recall every facet of his previous visit to this place, the one he made with his parents. Unfortunately, he could only recall a little. He was here, his mom and dad were here, Dana was here, but that was about it. This was some time soon after Min-jung became an employee of the man who owned his impressive structure.


    Maybe, back then he was really too young, far too easily distracted, way too deep into his portable gaming device and its then-revolutionary graphics to truly commit everything to memory what happened on that trip. In his current predicament, he couldn''t help but feel regretful about his lack of foresight, but it was what it was ¨C spilled milk and all that.


    As the car neared, Jack raised his head and focused on the massive structure''s design. Some of the memories did manage to worm their way back, making him realize that he was indeed as awestruck back then as he was now. He just couldn''t even begin to imagine the sheer amount of resources that were spent in order to build something this humongous and ostentatious in nature.


    Only the wealthiest and the most mysterious man alive could, just maybe, afford to splurge as extravagantly.


    The tower''s design closely resembled a spire or maybe even that of a space-bound rocket straight out of an old steampunk fantasy novel, except that it was pure white in color rather than the commonly-seen bronze or copper. Near the top, Jack could see reflections from the rows of windows, denoting the area where the owner of the tower might be, observing the arrival of the guests like some kind of an evil overlord.


    Other than that, there were no signs of life. Sure, insects buzzed about in the air, there were birds flapping their wings high up in the sky, but no humans anywhere, not even a shadow. It was oddly lifeless, this ambiance. And also a bit sterile as well.


    And the silence cast over the area was like a deadly net, stifling any and all urges to inquire about his fate right out of Jack''s mouth. Not only him but the others were feeling the weight of this oppressive atmosphere as well. The three of them had never been here before, only having stolen a peek or two at the images of this compound in the military satellite photographs.


    They had no idea what to expect. Cleo and Lei only followed Erik, believing in his words of the future without the Project''s overseers controlling every facet of their lives. Even Erik was scared, of being wrong and leading his friends down the path of no return. He had his fingers crossed, hoping for the best outcome for himself and for his companions.


    The length between the gate and the tower''s foot was crossed quickly enough; what greeted them was an ominous-looking entrance to the underground parking structure that kind of reminded Jack of the mouth of Hell from the Divine Comedy, ready to swallow him whole in one gulp. Well, to any other folks, it''d be nothing more than a regular underground car park entrance, though.


    Lei did her thing and the car effortlessly cruised to the entrance. There was a metallic gate blocking their way but as soon as their car came close, the shutters opened up as if in waiting. Jack noticed numerous cameras here as well, keeping a close watch on the car.


    The underground parking lot was huge and also somewhat expectedly, devoid of any human activity. Again, not a soul was present. It''d be not unusual to spot a security personnel or two by now, but their lack of presence only served to tense up Jack and the company.


    Jack got out of the car, he took another long look around the underground area, and noticed that there was a lot of things covered in the soft, gray material.


    He could see that they were priceless, limited-edition supercars and luxury cars simply by taking a quick glance at their outlines. As a young, hot blooded and passionate man, he was naturally interested in stuff like this; even under the current situation he couldn''t help but feel envious of the lucky son of the gun who owned all these exotic and rare metals.


    The whole underground area was constructed as a massive dome; there was a central pillar-like structure with an elevator, with its doors open and waiting for the passengers. Even here, no human presence. Everything was either fully automated, or all the staff members had to be on a very long holiday.


    ¡°Please use the elevator to come upstairs. The floor control is automatic, so do not worry. I''ll be waiting for you.¡±


    A disembodied voice of a man suddenly came out of nowhere, startling the group of teens. Lei quickly fiddled around with her iPod, trying to locate the sources of the sound but even she couldn''t readily locate the speakers nor the cameras that were no doubt trained on them.


    But the voice itself was quite pleasant, kinda like a cooling Summer breeze on the skin. It may have been alarming at first, but there didn''t seem any bad intent in the words and that put them at ease, with the exception of Jack. He had recognized this voice ¨C it belonged to the person who owned this tower. And that realization only served to make his heart beat faster. Not in a good way, either.


    ¡°Okay, let''s get going,¡± said Erik as he goaded the others to follow him into the elevator.


    Once the group entered it, the door silently closed and the lift began moving. The walls were finished in gleaming golden metal, polished to the very extreme and not a blemish in sight. The design itself was unusual in that there was no control panel on the walls, nor were there a display to show which floor they were on currently.


    ¡°So, uh, you nervous?¡± Erik asked Jack. He didn''t bother asking his companions because he knew them well enough ¨C Cleo didn''t know better, and Lei wouldn''t say a word unless she was really unhappy. People who didn''t know her well sometimes thought she didn''t care about anything but Erik knew better, that Lei was just good at hiding her feelings.


    ¡°Should I be?¡±


    Jack replied with a crumpled face.


    ¡°Well.... hmm. The thing is, I''ve never met the guy before.¡± Erik shrugged his shoulders and blushed a little. ¡°But man.... how weird this is... Oh, right. You don''t know who we are meeting here. It''s The Maverick. The Maverick. The wealthiest, most powerful man alive. I am kind of nervous, to be honest.¡±


    The Maverick, huh. Jack thought inwardly to himself. Right.... He''s the dude who owns the pharmaceutical company mom works at ¨C The Faraday Laboratories. What a nickname. But the dude''s real name....


    Jack frowned slightly as he drew blanks on what his face looked like or what his name was, which was strange to say the least. But perhaps, it made a bit of sense, as though the man himself was famous, he rarely did any interviews or publicity stunts. His public appearance over the years could be counted on one hand.


    But Jack''s situation was different. Because he was pretty sure of meeting the man controlling the multi-billion dollar global conglomerate before when he came here with his mom.


    So why couldn''t Jack recall the face of this billionaire? It was as if there was a thick veil of fog obscuring his mind. It sure made him feel somewhat anxious to meet this man who supposedly knew what was going on with him. The heavily beating heart in his chest was the proof of that feeling.


    Jack placed a hand on his chest reflexively. Only then did he notice that all that pain from getting beat up by Cleo had largely subsided. Belatedly, he faintly sensed that there was some type of gentle, low-frequency humming coming from within the tower and that seemed to be the reason why he was feeling a lot better.


    His fatigue progressively lessened to a point where he was feeling pretty relaxed and somewhat alert. Even with all of these improvements, he still couldn''t remember the face nor the name, though.


    Soon, the elevator came to a gentle stop. The polished golden doors swished and opened to the sides, revealing a long white oval-shaped corridor devoid of any decoration. If one looked at this hallway objectively, it was something out of a Science Fiction movie with a huge budget and a set designer with an aesthetically cold but creative mind.


    At the end of the corridor, there was another white door but it seemed closed for the moment with no way of opening it manually.


    ¡°Please step into the corridor. Forgive me for the momentary inconvenience, but it is absolutely necessary for you guys to go through this hallway as the area beyond the door is hermetically sealed.¡±


    The voice intoned gently and it also sounded a bit apologetic as well. Jack had no recollection of this particular corridor. Probably it was built after his visit ten years ago. Whatever the case may be, they had to step into it anyway as the elevator behind them resolutely closed its doors, cutting off the only retreat out of here.


    So, forward it was.


    Cleo was the first. She usually was. Erik was right after her and Lei brought up the rear. As for Jack... He only hesitated for a second before starting to walk forward himself.


    And with every step he took, the faster his heart beat with the unbearable anticipation, a dread of things to come. Because, he knew. He knew that there was an existence just beyond those doors capable of shattering his life as he knew it. The moment he stepped through those doors, his life would spiral out of his meager control.


    But he also knew that this existence could help him. He could help Jack find a way out of this supernatural mystery. He could be the only one, in fact. Jack had to enter through those doors, even if it cost him his sanity.


    The corridor darkened slowly and a hiss of air ejecting from somewhere came from above, from the sides, and even from the floor. A gentle but cold blast of air wrapped the group in its embrace. Then, a blast of hot air ¨C followed by another cold one, but this time accompanied by the smell of chemicals that reminded Jack of disinfectants, only much stronger in its acrid sourness.


    The alternating blasts of air continued for a few minutes before they stopped completely and the corridor brightened once more.


    ¡°Thank you for your patience, guys. Please, step forward. Come in.¡±


    The metallic doors at the end of the corridor slid open almost soundlessly and Jack could just about make out the white walls and objects beyond. He didn''t see nor sense anything threatening from as far as the view was concerned, but still remained cautious and took a steady and measured step forward while doing his best to reign in the pounding heart.


    It wasn''t as successful as he hoped for, however. His heart continued to beat madly as Jack''s foot slid past the door frame and directly into the chamber beyond.


    He was immediately bathed in soft but bright glare of multiple LED lamps placed strategically in several angles all over. And these lights were illuminating several dozens of tall, large glass cabinets with incredibly thick glasses which even the naked eyes could discern quite easily.


    Within each of these cabinets lay a stone tablet, the kind that Moses might have descended down Mount Sinai with. On it, ancient runes and symbols that should be nothing more than some incomprehensible chicken scratch were carefully carved into the surface.


    Yet, when Jack took a casual glance at those carvings, he nearly gasped out in shock. Because he could read them.


    He blinked his eyes for a good few seconds, but that didn''t really help. He could actually read them just fine, as if the bizarre words carved into these tablets were the very language he''d been speaking until now.


    He had never, ever seen them ¨C the letters, the stone tablets ¨C before in his life. Not on television, not in a book, nor in the numerous websites of Internet. His heart pounded harder, madder. He felt like his chest might explode now. His entire being was prickling dangerously. No one could tell that other than himself but even Jack wasn''t sure of what he was feeling right in this moment.


    Each of the cabinets had a polished bronze plaque attached in front with English translation of what was written on the tablet inside. Erik glanced over at the nearest one and murmured slowly.


    ¡°The Epic of Gilgamesh... Hmm. I heard that it was the oldest recorded story yet found. So these letters are cuneiforms, huh? But wow, they are so well preserved, as if someone carved them out yesterday.¡±


    Jack''s mind almost reeled in dizziness. Gilgamesh? I know that name, don''t I?! But where did I hear that name before? Did I.... from the memory/dream?


    Beyond the stone tablets, countless murals, some of them gigantic, adorned all of the walls, also encased in the thick layer of protective glass. The depictions of a tall, mustached man fighting against a humanoid creature, then a massive monster that resembled an ape and a bull mixed together, as well as numerous other fantastical creatures were vividly recreated on them. The more one gazed on these expressive murals, the more convinced the one became of these figures actually possessing life and thus capable of moving on their own.


    And in the center of the chamber, a huge blood-red armor with no owner, also encased in a thick glass cabinet. The way it was positioned, anyone could see that this was supposed to be the center of the attraction.


    ¡°Oh, wow, that''s kickass,¡± said Cleo, her eyes shining at the sight of the majestic armor.


    But the same couldn''t be said for Jack''s reaction. Because he recognized pretty much everything in this chamber. Each of the murals ¨C almost all of them ¨C were depictions of events Jack had seen in his dreams. His memories of the past. Only, his version was of course, far more life-like.


    And when he saw the blood-red armor, all the pieces clicked into place.


    ¡°The Armor of Crimson Starlight....¡± Jack''s words left his mouth before he realized it. He stood there, trembling. He totally, definitely recognized this armor. Much more than the others here.


    The main protagonist of Jack''s dream world was wearing this armor. He went off to countless battles with it. He fought against fearsome monsters with it. This armor formed a part of him.


    In that dream, it was Jack who was wearing it.


    Suddenly, his wildly beating heart stilled. An inexplicable nostalgic longing filled his whole being. Complicated emotions began to toy with him, making him wanting to break this glass open and reach out to the armor. To touch it, to feel it and wear it one more time.


    ¡°That is the armor that once belonged to the legendary God-King, Gilgamesh, or more correctly, Bilgamesh, as he was known back then.¡±


    A cool, crisp voice came from behind one of the cabinets, surprising the group out of their silent observations of the many artifacts on display.


    Jack reluctantly broke his gaze away from the armor and turned towards the source of the voice ¨C the owner of the tower.


    ¡°....Mister Mylorne Akkad. We finally meet,¡± said Erik under his breath.


    A man in early forties stepped out from behind the cabinet. He was devastatingly handsome in a completely indecipherable way. His ethnicity was hard to tell ¨C he could be an Arab, he could be a Northern Caucasian or even Mediterranean. Greek? Egyptian? Indian? Eurasian?


    His dark brown hair was shoulder length but neatly groomed. Just under six feet in height, he was neither too tall nor too short yet there was just something about the man that came off as powerful and imposing without even trying. Even Cleo withdrew slightly, instinctively sensing that this man was, for the lack of better word, not as simple as he looked, the gray T-shirt and a pair of washed-out jeans not weakening the impression one bit.


    Jack was stunned into silence, though. The veil of fog shrouding his memories lifted as soon as he saw that face. And Jack could not believe his own eyes, nor could he trust his own mind. His legs shook, his fists were firmly clenched, beads of sweat were traveling down his backside like a waterfall.


    Mylorne Akkad''s warm blue eyes, with a trace of purple, studied the four youths before him. A gentle smile bore his lips before he sighed in relief.


    ¡°Thank goodness, you guys have arrived without any incident. I''ve been waiting for so long for this day to talk to you face to face. The anticipation has been killing me. Please, make yourselves at home.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Erik stepped forward and took charge of the communication right away. ¡°Mister Akkad. We are here now as you have suggested. We sacrificed a lot by coming here, so please.... can you just tell us what we are? Why were we taken from our homes and placed in the military compounds over ten years ago?¡±


    Mylorne smiled wryly at the pointed questions. ¡°Well, in order to enlighten you all, including Mister Mercer here, we need to start from the very beginning. Follow me.¡±


    And follow they did. Past the artifact chamber was a wide, spacious living area decked out top to bottom in white furniture. White sofas, white coffee tables, white floor lamps, even the super-giant white flatscreen TV that dominated the entirety of the wall it was mounted on. The only injection of color in this otherwise barren desert of whiteness was several expensive paintings that even someone untrained in art as Jack could recognize.


    But none of that mattered for the moment as Jack was intensely staring at the back of the head belonging to Mylorne Akkad, his mind a complete mess.


    That face... that face!! He... No, it can''t be. There is just no freaking way he''s the same person!! It just can not be!!


    The wide vista of the outside world was visible through the windows; the near-endless sea of green, the fencing of the perimeter, then the brown of the world beyond. Jack was briefly reminded of the view he got from the tower in his dreams; it wasn''t a perfect carbon copy, but reasonably close. One more freakish coincidence for him to sweat over.


    Didn''t seem like a mere chance the longer Jack sweated over the details, however. And that made Jack palpitate in buckets. The last vestige of his common sense was about to break into pieces and he was desperately trying to hold on here. With every step he took, that task became harder and harder to accomplish.


    Mylorne offered seats to his guests on the pristine white couch and sofas. They looked ultra expensive ¨C so much so that, even Cleo was feeling a bit weird to sit her ass down on them. But Lei, who had stopped fiddling with her iPod, saw no issues whatsoever and plonked down without a single shred of hesitation. Seeing that, the rest slowly sat down too.


    ¡°Refreshments? Surely, your throats are parched from the lengthy and difficult journey.¡±


    A simple snap of his fingers, and a white robot on wheels whirred out from a corner. It carried a tray of drinks and snacks. The machine then busily arranged the food on the white coffee table with utmost efficiency.


    After having gone through some strange ordeal, Jack thought this sight rather fitting. The sun was beginning to set now, and if there was a lazy lounge music playing in the background then the whole thing would have been postcard perfect.


    The trio of teens, Erik, Lei and Cleo looked down on the snacks arranged on the table before them, not sure of what to feel or to say. No, they were waiting for someone to break the ice. Preferably Mylorne Akkad, seeing that he was the one who engineered this meeting after all. Eventually, curious Cleo reached down and picked up a biscuit, slowly shoving it in her mouth.


    Her eyes went round the moment she chewed it.


    ¡°Holy cow, it''s delicious!!¡±


    She then ravenously picked on the biscuits, devouring them like a hungry wolf.


    Mylorne smiled pleasantly. ¡°I''ll serve dinner in due course, so in the meantime, please enjoy yourselves with these. There are enough for everyone so don''t hold back.¡±


    Erik decided to take the lead here since no one was capable of doing so in his eyes. Deciding to ignore Cleo, he leaned forward and took on a more serious tone. ¡°Mister Akkad, please tell us what is going on. I''ve been holding onto those questions for over ten years now. I don''t think I can wait any longer.¡±


    Lei pulled out her earphones as well, the first time Jack saw her do that. Her face was emotionless but her deep, dark eyes seemed to gleam with desire for the truth as well. Seeing the intensity of the two, Jack kept quiet, choosing to hold back his own questions for now. Even if he were to ask them right here, he figured that no satisfactory answer would be forthcoming.


    Nodding, Mylorne sighed and slowly waved his hand. This brought up the curtains that automatically closed up the vast expense of the windows. The living room darkened significantly and the TV screen flickered into life.


    ¡°Let me start from the very beginning. It''s going to be a long story, so please, bear with me for a while.¡±


    ~


    The date was February 11<sup>th</sup>, 1979.


    The location? A dusty and mountainous region somewhere in Iran, closer to the Persian Gulf than to the heart of the Arabian Peninsula.


    There was almost nothing here, unless one counted endless sea of sand as something useful to a person. The way Professor Evans saw it, the blowing sand was a dastardly enemy he had to struggle against every single day.


    He looked at the wristwatch; it was only twenty past nine in the morning. The desert in the late winter could become prohibitively cold too, which was something most people initially wouldn''t have guessed.


    Pulling the wool jumper close to his cheeks, Evans drew in a deep breath and turned back towards the peak of the hill. Near the top, a cave entrance could be seen, as well as a bevy of activities precipitated by a group of workers and archaeologists.


    Evans came out of that very cavern not too long ago to get himself a breath of fresh, cold air. The night before had been too damn exhilarating and his heart couldn''t simply take the strain if he stayed in there any longer. Now that he got his intake of the refreshing air, his head was much clearer than before.


    His neck ached slightly so he roughly massaged it as he ascended the hill. His assistant, Donald, was waving his hands animatedly at the relatively young and brilliant professor once their eyes met.


    ¡°Professor!! Come and take a look!! We''ve got something on the monitor!! The camera found something unbelievable!! It''s incredible, sir!!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I''m coming, Donald. Hold your pants on, will you.¡±


    Chuckling, Evans hurried his steps and entered the cave. The naturally formed mouth of the cavern didn''t extend too deep before the man made walls began to appear on all sides. Pristine murals, hieroglyphs and various statues and stone steles decorated the interior, denoting its incredible wealth as potentially the archaeological find of this century.


    Countless lights were placed on the floor as well as on the walls to better illuminate all these priceless relics of the now-forgotten part of the history, highlighting many unusual symbols, runes, design flourishes and carving techniques on the myriad of surfaces present.


    But oddly, the entire chamber didn''t seem all that big, no more than that of a, say, a fast-food restaurant''s eating area. Evans and his team of course knew why this was so. They were well aware of the fact that all these items in front of their eyes weren''t everything this... tomb had to offer. They spent weeks trying to locate the hidden chamber and the passageway that would lead them into it.


    And they had found it last night. A small hole was drilled into the wall facing North and a PVC pipe with an advanced military-grade infrared camera inserted inside was placed within this hole.


    The live feed was directed to the large banks of monitors set up near the wall in question, away from the devastating elements outside. The guy charged with operating all these expensive equipment sat on a chair in front, holding what looked like an ill-formed pleasure toy for the ladies.


    Setting everything up took the whole night and carrying around the heavy equipment like a twenty-year-old freshman had done in Evans'' neck. Nothing could beat the relentless advent of time, it seemed. But he sure didn''t care when the breakthrough he had chased for all his life was just around the corner.


    On the monitor, the hidden chamber showed itself. It was obviously dark ¨C very dark. But even then, a faint outline of a huge, monolithic item could be seen. Evans felt his heartbeat rise at an alarming rate, the smile pasted on his face growing even faster.


    ¡°It''s THE sarcophagus. Can you position the camera closer? With more light? We need to see it better, on that side. Yeah, there, right there!!¡±


    Evans pointed at the screen when the familiar cuneiforms showed up on it. The beaming smile solidified and even if he tried, he wouldn''t be able to undo it for the next ten weeks. That''s how good he felt right this moment.


    The vindication he was feeling was indescribable; all the ridicule he''d received from his peers, all the weary gazes thrown at his way by the potential financiers. Enduring all that was totally worth it. Now, Evans could confidently shout at their conceited faces, ¡°Eat this, you cheap, unbelieving pieces of....!!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Donald noticed something on the monitor and shook Evans on the shoulder. ¡°Look, professor. Look at that glowing thing, there on the corner.¡±


    ¡°What glowing thing?!¡±


    Evans irritably slapped Donald''s hand off his shoulder and leaned in closer to take a look.


    Indeed, there was something that faintly glowed in the dark, near the sarcophagus. The image quality was too vague to tell what it was.


    ¡°Probably a surface reflecting the light from the camera, nothing more,¡± Evans said dismissively. ¡°Don''t stop. Keep on going and get closer to the sarcophagus until we can see more details. Come on, man!! Do hurry up!!¡±


    The camera operator crinkled his brows but nodded his head and continued to manipulate the joystick. The camera closed in on the glowing thing and when it got close enough, the inevitable thing happened ¨C the two touched.


    Suddenly, the entire hill shook violently for a second. Everyone, even the ones outside, felt the tremor.


    ¡°An earthquake?!¡± Donald gasped and ducked below the banks of monitors faster than a speeding bullet.


    Evans quickly scanned around after steadying himself, and found nothing was amiss ¨C no falling debris, no loose rocks tumbling down on them, no nothing.


    Shaking his head nervously, Evans shouted. ¡°Hey, is everyone alright? Do a head count, Donald. Confirm that everyone is accounted for!!¡±


    As soon as the words left his lips, the hill creaked again and shook even harder, this time for a longer period. The entire tomb shook and Evans fell on his butt, hard. So did the man operating the cameras, he too fell down and tried to hide under the whatever he could crawl beneath.


    Sparks flew as the electric cords got violently tangled up and snapped, the monitors dying in an instant. And incredibly, the whole wall where the hole was drilled into, began to separate into two. Lots and lots of dust and sand fell on the crowd near it, including on Evans'' head.


    The commotion continued for a minute as the wall completely split open, becoming a lengthy passageway leading to the burial chamber. Once the doors were fully opened, the shaking stopped and the deafening silence returned to the tomb. Of course, the camera equipment, as expensive as they were, were completely ruined, sucked into the wall along with the doors. But Evans was too elated to care for the cost.


    Clearing his throat, he shouted. ¡°Do the head count, Donald!! Make sure everyone is alright!! And go and find Mohammed and Salim!! Hey, what are you waiting for?! Go, I say!! Time is precious!! From the very first moment this chamber opened up, it''s being irreparably damaged by the contact with the outside air!! Hurry, man!!¡±


    After giving out the orders, Evans snapped on the flashlight and shined its light on the dark passageway. The walls were smooth, no murals nor writings on them. He didn''t find signs of those deadly traps popularized by old adventure serials he used to watch as a child either. Which left him with a mixed bag of emotions, part of it relief and the other part very, very small disappointment.


    The air was sterile, dank with mold, and smelt just a bit.... like an old burial chamber. But that only served to excite Evans further.


    Drinking in the odor of his victory, Evans carefully stepped inside the dark chamber and slowly advanced forward while continuously shining the light everywhere.


    And soon, the light of his torch landed on the large sarcophagus.


    Evans sucked in the air. He uttered under his breath. ¡°Beautiful...¡±


    He was now in a dome-shaped chamber, with the sarcophagus placed smack dab in the middle. The entire chamber''s size exceeded well over that of a large mausoleum, granting Evans more than enough room to move around.


    The light shined on the walls, and he drew in another sharp breath. There were so many cuneiforms adorning the walls here, it was just plainly insane. And even on a cursory glance, they were of different content from what was recorded on the outside. This was beyond a major discovery now. Evans had struck not only gold, but platinum, diamond, and plutonium all at once!!


    He chuckled heartily to himself before noticing a small pedestal right next to the sarcophagus. The broken PVC pipe with the camera was lying on the ground next to it. On top of this strange pedestal, he saw a crystal that was rapidly losing its radiance.


    ¡°Is that what reflected the light from the camera?¡±


    Evans frowned slightly and approached it, wondering just what purpose this thing served in a tomb. The height of the pedestal made it ideal for a grown man to stand still and press down on it as if it was a switch of some kind....


    A brief thought flashed by in his head. What if this was the button to operate the walls? I mean, after all, the camera bumped into it and then the wall began to move....


    Evans stared at the pedestal and the crystal for a second before snapping out of his thoughts.


    No way. Nothing like this pedestal or the crystal could be found outside the burial chamber. That means it''s only in here. But what purpose would that serve?! Seriously, now ¨C unless the dead guy decides to stand up suddenly and go for a stroll or some such nonsense...


    Evans quickly threw the notion away. It was a ridiculous idea to begin with, anyways, so he saw no point in having it occupy a corner of his valuable mind.


    Next, he studied the cuneiforms on the sarcophagus itself. The more he deciphered, the more excited he became.


    ¡°Gilgamesh, finally I found you. Welcome to the 20<sup>th</sup> Century.¡±


    Chuckling, Evans tenderly touched the lid and sighed. It was then Donald came inside the chamber with a photographer in tow.


    ¡°Professor!! Everyone''s alright. Salim''s got a light bruising but he''ll be fine after some treatment. I''ve brought Mohammed in the meantime.¡±


    ¡°Good, good. Mohammed, please work your magic, my good man!! Because today, we are going to be famous!! Famous, I tell you!!¡±


    Evans beamed brightly and vigorously slapped the photographer, Mohammed, on his shoulders.


    ¡°Whatever you say, professor.¡± Mohammed smiled wryly before hoisting his expensive camera and began to see through the lens. ¡°We''ll need a lot of lights in here, Donald. Can you organize at least half a dozen?¡±


    While the two of them were discussing the logistics of the lighting, Evans took another lengthy look at the walls.


    Eventually, the wide smile slowly faded and was replaced by a more solemn expression. He pulled out his notebook and began to hurriedly jot down the rough translations. That was because the stuff he was reading right now.... barely made sense.


    It didn''t even read like the usual cuneiforms either, with several unknown letters and symbols popping up everywhere, greatly confusing the professor. And he was someone possessing a lot of pride at being the preeminent expert on the long-dead language of the ancient Sumeria and Mesopotamia. But even he couldn''t bridge the gap here.


    That was because from what he could understand so far, made him wonder if someone was pulling a practical joke on him.


    What the hell.... is this? Why is it talking about some sort of cataclysmic war between the gods and.... men? And according to this, it hasn''t even taken place yet? Huh? And what the heck is this about the village chief of black? No, wait ¨C that''s not right. Uh.... how about.... the lord of darkness? Hmm, that sounds better....


    No, wait a freaking minute here, it does not sound better. What the hell is this?! Is this a goddamn fairy tale?! A Lord of Darkness? You must be kidding me.


    Donald and Mohammed called out to Evans then and told him that they were stepping outside for a bit to get the rest of the lighting equipment. Evans, feeling somewhat hot under the collar, nodded his head without turning his head around, afraid that the two might figure something out from his current befuddled expression.


    After they left him alone, Evans frowned and held his head. No matter how much he pondered, he couldn''t figure out what was going on. This was definitely the tomb of Gilgamesh the God-King, that much he was sure of.


    But the hell was all that about this cautionary tale of warfare? All he could think about was that the fault, the reason for his confusion, lied with the damn indecipherable cuneiforms. It had to be.


    And the state of those letters weren''t so hot, either. A few of them were damaged. Well, it wasn''t like he could translate them right away even if they were fine, but still.


    Feeling frustrated, Evans brushed one of the confusing cuneiforms. He meant nothing by that gesture; it was something he wouldn''t have done if he was in the right frame of mind. But he wasn''t, and that''s when the rest of his life took a different turn.


    The particular symbols depicting the Lord of Darkness slid in and an audible click could be heard from behind the wall. Evans stiffened. He had no time to back away before a ray of red light shot out from the sarcophagus and filled his head with indescribable, terrifying images, of the past and the future.


    By the time Donald returned with the crew to set the lighting equipment, they found Evans slumped on the floor, hyperventilating.


    The crew rushed him out of the tomb and brought him outside the cavern before the professor waved his hand and spoke to them. ¡°I''m okay. I''m okay. Mohammed, Donald, take photos of everything inside, each and every symbol, letter, and rune and.... just take everything!! Since Salim''s injured, get someone else to take the recorder and video tape every inch of that place. And I do mean every inch!! And also, we need to take the sarcophagus out of there!!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, professor!! You know we can''t take out the coffin ¨C that''s inadvisable at this stage of the dig!!¡±


    ¡°Just do as I say, will you, Donald?¡± Evans tiredly said to his assistant as he was supported into the tent.


    Before he could be settled down on a chair, though, loud whirring noises shattered the calm air.


    Frowning, Evans stood up, ignoring the onslaught of dizziness. He hurriedly stepped outside the tent to find out the cause of the noise, only to witness three military helicopters landing by the foot of the hill, where the rest of the team''s tents were pitched.


    ¡°What the.... what''s going on here?¡± Donald muttered in confusion. ¡°What''s the U.S. Army doing here?¡±


    Several soldiers poured out of the green helicopters. They then began to order the people around to do.... something, but since Evans and Donald were too far away they couldn''t tell what that was all about.


    Evans noticed a young-ish soldier rushing up to where he was. He was dressed differently to the other soldiers, denoting that he was an officer, not a grunt.


    The soldier took off his aviator shades and offered his right hand. ¡°Professor Evans?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am he. And you are?¡±


    ¡°Second Lieutenant Jonathan Williams, U.S. Marine Corps. I''ve come to extract you and your men out of here, sir. We''ve got a situation developing at Tehran.¡±


    ¡°What? What situation?¡±


    ¡°There''s been a coup. The remnant of Pahlavi regime has collapsed and as we speak, all American citizens are being evacuated from the country. You and your men are included in that as well.¡±


    All of Evans'' strength suddenly left his body. He crumpled on the spot, dejected and his voice weak and trembling in shock. ¡°No, this can''t be.... Lieutenant Williams, this... this place, do you know the significance of this place?! We can''t.... I can''t abandon this place!!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Professor. I''ve got my orders, sir. And you are coming with me. Right now.¡±


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 12: The Reasoning

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 12: The Reasoning</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    The date in Mylorne Akkad''s story moved on, seven years later, to 1986.


    The location was yet another desert ¨C except, now it was somewhere in the god-forsaken dried up Nevada, not a remote location saddled with an unpronounceable name in the middle of Persia.


    A single military helicopter was flying towards a destination that was unmarked on most maps. The early afternoon sunlight glistened off its slick paint, casting off sharp and somewhat dangerous rays to scorpions and geckos down below, making the denizens of this nameless patch of dirt scurrying about to escape the potential danger.


    There were four people riding on it; two soldiers, one pilot, and a young Asian woman. Her face was apprehensive but curious. A hint of tiredness was visible on her expressions if one observed a little closer.


    The soldiers remained passive, opting to say nothing to each other nor to the young woman.


    Finally, she had enough of the silent treatment and shouted at one of the soldiers. Unfortunately, her voice was drowned out by the roar of the spinning rotors above. One of the soldiers pointed at her headphone, signaling her to use the mic attached to it to talk.


    It was her first time riding on a helicopter, a military one at that, so she didn''t know. Blushing a little, she fiddled with the mic for a second before figuring out what to do. Once she found that her voice could be heard by the other party, she repeated what she said before.


    ¡°Just how long am I going to ride this damnable thing for?¡±


    The soldier shook his head. ¡°We''ll be there shortly, Doctor Kim. Please remain patient.¡±


    ¡°You said the exact same thing five times already,¡± a very young and impatient Min-jung Kim, nee Mercer, retorted testily. ¡°Come on, give me something. Where are we going, anyway? I mean, there''s practically nothing out here.¡±


    ¡°You''ll see soon, ma''am. Please remain patient.¡±


    ¡°Call me ma''am again, and I''m jumping off this helicopter right this moment, get my drift?!¡± Min-jung gruntled unhappily.


    Then she kneaded her aching head, slightly concerned about what she had signed up for.


    A month ago, on that fateful day, a Professor whom she''d never even heard of due to their differing field of studies, showed up on her doorway and enticed her with a tale of an exciting opportunity quite unlike any other waiting for her if she chose to participate.


    This professor told her it was an unprecedented, monumental and perhaps even more importantly, a world-changing event, and she was very much suited to guiding this said event to its climax, or some such.


    Min-jung just earned her second doctorate in genetics, the youngest in her field to do so. If there was a Guinness record for such a thing, she''d have a plaque with her name on it already. She was working on her third thesis when this Professor Evans showed up with the job offer.


    The number on the proposed paycheque made her eyes pop out of their respective sockets. She was still paying off her student loan and in arrears for a couple of months on her rent as well. Lately, she''d been filling her belly with cheap two-minute microwave noodles and felt like she was going insane from the lack of nutrition. So, the six-digit figure in black-and-white was seriously tempting. Too tempting to ignore, at least.


    Against her better judgment, Min-jung agreed to dip her toes in, see what''s what before fully committing to this... project that the Department of Defense was spearheading. If something smelled fishy, then she''d bail. She was young, there was so much of her life left to live, and she understood that there would be many other opportunities for her in the future as well. No need to put her own neck on the chopping board if the crap hit the fan.


    Even her boyfriend, Bob Mercer, thought it could do her a world of good, making all that money. And he was one of the most prudent boys out there ¨C so much so, her very traditional parents gave consent for them to date after only one Sunday dinner together. So he knew what he was talking about, most of the time.


    She could see that the soldier wasn''t going to answer any differently no matter how many times she rejigged her questions. So, rather than adding more irritation on top of her already pulsing head, Min-jung decided to shrug her shoulders and endure. All for that fat paycheque with six digits scribbled on it.


    Then, the pilot chimed in. ¡°We''re almost there, little miss. Look outside, you can almost see the airfield.¡±


    I''m not a little miss, though.... Min-jung grumbled inwardly but still peered outside the tiny window beside her head to see. Indeed, hidden within the rising dusty winds, she could see a convergence of several gray, man-made structures. Landing strips, flat buildings, large hangars and a communication towers full of satellite dishes and the like.


    The closer they got, she wondered who in their right minds would build a military facility all the way out here ¨C but since she was being accompanied by the soldiers of the United States of America, the answer was right in front of her already.


    And as the helicopter slowly landed on one of the unoccupied landing pads, the pilot turned to her and laughed genially. ¡°Thank you for flying with me, little miss. And welcome to Area 51.¡±


    ~


    Instead of heading inside one of the flat buildings she saw before, Min-jung was ushered into a hangar. But as it turned out, it was not a hangar; once inside, that much was made emphatically clear to her.


    There were literally dozens of massive tanks and heavy weaponry mounted on wheels parked here, all ready to unleash hell at the drop of a hat. She briefly wondered whether she stepped into an active war zone by mistake. Funnily enough, those weapons were pointing inwardly, towards a structure that was unmistakably a huge elevator.


    In front of the said elevator, a familiar face in his early fifties was waiting for her with a happy and expectant smile.


    ¡°Professor Evans, this is a strange set up you got going here,¡± said Min-jung as she shook the archaeologist''s hand.


    ¡°Hahaha, well, unfortunately, it comes with the territory. But welcome to Area 51. I hope the ride itself was not too taxing, Doctor Kim.¡±


    Min-jung glanced around the interior and whispered in a low voice.


    ¡°Uhm, this Area 51.... isn''t this the place where the Roswell aliens are kept or something like that? It is, yes? Uhm, you are not going to ask me to examine a little green Martian corpse, are you?¡±


    As cool as that sounded, that wasn''t her area of expertise, after all....


    Min-jung cringed slightly at the mere thought of dissecting an alien specimen with vacant black eyes staring at her from a cold examination table.


    ¡°No, no, no. Don''t worry about that, Doctor Kim. That''s in another building. Where we are going, there aren''t any little green men. Well, if you discount all the military hard-asses here, that is.¡±


    She chuckled politely, before stifling it when she noticed one of those military hard-asses standing right behind the professor. The man was chomping down on the cigar like he was trying to grind it to death. His eyes studied Min-jung for what felt like a long, long second before he nodded and introduced himself.


    ¡°Doctor Kim, I''ve heard about your work. Thank you for joining us. I''m in charge of the Project Dead Kings, Colonel Williams. Welcome.¡±


    She swallowed a little and shook his hand politely. ¡°Oh, yes. Uhm, thank you for having me, Colonel.¡±


    ¡°Professor, please bring her up to speed. I need to head out of the base as discussed. I''ll leave it up to you.¡±


    The Colonel spoke as he briskly moved past Min-jung and headed outside without waiting for a reply, a pair of adjutants hurriedly following behind.


    Once the Colonel and his lackeys were out of earshot, Evans shook his head lightly. ¡°A real piece of work, that guy. Well, they come in all shapes and sizes in this world. Why don''t we head underground, Doctor? Please, allow me.¡±


    The two of them stepped onto the elevator; it shook slightly before descending down in a noisy manner. Min-jung observed the thickness of the floor, now visible as the elevator lacked what some people might refer to as proper doors, instead some flaky metal fences acted as the only barrier. The floor was incredibly thick and sturdy enough to probably withstand a direct nuclear blast.


    Below that, they arrived at a floor that reminded her of an office of some mid-level corporation. She saw both the military and non-military personnel, walking around and doing their own things, occasionally pausing to greet the professor before moving on.


    Then, they got on a smaller elevator and headed lower, deeper underground, into the belly of the earth. The display panel showed ¡°B10¡± before the doors opened up, allowing Min-jung to exit and breath in the slightly stale air. The ventilation must''ve been not very effective this deep underground.


    The professor took Min-jung into a conference room where a group of people, obviously researchers, were waiting for their arrival. Evans introduced each of the members as well as their field of specialties, before taking her to ¡°the place.¡± The Place where the origin of the project was faithfully recreated.


    She was led down a darkened corridor until a large metallic doorway blocked the further progress. Evans keyed in the entrance code on the number pad next to the door and with a single beep, the thick doors slid open.


    And almost immediately, Min-jung was confused by what she saw. It was as if she had walked in on a set of the latest Indiana Jones movie. In a brightly lit area, the whole place was decorated to look like an ancient tomb with mock limestone walls placed in a dome with weird scribbles ¡°carved¡± on the surfaces. Right in the middle, there was a huge and impressive sarcophagus but, even with a casual glance, she knew it was a fake, made out of some cardboard and glue.


    Confused, she turned to look at the professor.


    ¡°Uhm, this place is....?¡±


    ¡°It''s a mock-up of a tomb that I discovered seven years ago. See that sarcophagus? That thing, as well as all the writings on these walls, are the main catalyst why you''re here today, doctor.¡±


    ¡°Okay... I still don''t see why I''m needed here, though. Unless you found some sort of genetic material in that sarcophagus and you want me to take a look at it. In that case, what does the U.S military want to do with all of these, uh, archaeological things?¡±


    ¡°First thing first ¨C some context. What you see here is a near perfect replica of the tomb. The God-King Gilgamesh''s tomb, to be exact. You heard about his story?¡±


    ¡°No, not really. History has never been my strongest subject back in school...¡±


    When Min-jung replied apologetically, Evans simply chuckled and shook his head. ¡°That''s alright. No high school would teach about the Epic of Gilgamesh; too specialized a subject for that. Rather, it holds an immense value in the archaeology as the oldest surviving written work of literature yet found. The original stone tablets depicting the amazing journey of Gilgamesh are carbon dated to over five thousand years ago. Yes, it is pretty old.¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay. But why a God-King?¡±


    ¡°Because, the writers ¨C or the inscribers of the stone tablets, as it were ¨C inferred that Gilgamesh was two-thirds a godly being and one-third a mortal. And he ruled his land, the Holy City of Uruk, as the undisputed King under the heavens using might and magic. Or so they wrote.¡±


    Min-jung tilted her head, still not feeling where this was going.


    ¡°When I found this tomb back in ''79, a coup in Iran made sure I could never be able to complete my research. But thankfully, the sarcophagus itself was taken back to the U.S soil, but the rest of the tomb''s artifacts.... were left behind. I''ve tried to replicate as exactly as humanly possible, but....¡±


    Sighing grandly, Evans laid his hand on top of the mock sarcophagus.


    ¡°But well, it is what it is. We all make do with what we''ve got. The original tomb site is now one of the most heavily guarded places on earth by Ayatollah''s troops and it''s quite unlikely that we will ever get to go back there. If anything, Iranians would demand the return of Gilgamesh''s sarcophagus instead.¡±


    Finished with his quick regret-filled monologue, Evans then pointed towards the section of the wall.


    ¡°Here. This part over here, come and take a look. Looks so innocuous, doesn''t it? But this part contains cuneiforms that even I can''t decode. And I''m supposed to be the expert here. You remember the guys Merrick and Boon, back in the conference room? I got those two PhD holders, the best in their own fields, working on this puzzle full time. And they haven''t even made any headway for the last five years.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°But from what we do know, is this. We are sitting on a time bomb. Metaphorically speaking, of course. And us lot, under hundreds of feet of concrete and metal, hidden from the unsuspecting world, we are the ones responsible for coming up with ways to stop that bomb from going off.¡±


    ¡°And archaeology has something to do with that? This tomb, this, uh, Gilgamesh person? Will all these things help us... prevent the explosion of this figurative bomb?¡±


    ¡°Precisely, with your help. Now, please follow me.¡±


    Evans guided Min-jung to another part of the underground lab. In here, the surroundings were immediately more familiar to her ¨C a proper laboratory, equipped with the latest, state-of-the-art apparatus and computers, men and women in white lab coats, as well as the general air of things being, for the lack of more imaginative description, rather scientific.


    The lab area was huge ¨C at least three times the size of the mock tomb next door. But both spaces had one thing in common.


    And that was the huge sarcophagus in the middle.


    ¡°That, Doctor Kim, is Gilgamesh''s real sarcophagus. And he''s inside of it, waiting for you to pry open the secrets hidden within his genes,¡± said Evans as reverence fiercely burned in his eyes.


    Min-jung sucked in a cold breath. She could tell this time it was the real thing. The mere presence alone could confirm that. It had this indescribable, ancient aura that seemed to actively decay the very flow of air around it, suffocating anyone who dared to approach closer.


    Good thing then, as a layer upon layer of glass barriers lay between it and her.


    ¡°You want me to take a look at this dead guy''s genes? But you said he''d been around five millenniums ago. Depending on how well he was preserved, the genetic materials would''ve been too damaged for a good look. And forensic examination isn''t my field of expertise, Professor Evans. Cloning, and gene therapy, is.¡±


    Chuckling lightly, Evans shook his head. ¡°That''s not it, Doctor. Over here. In this file. And... please, do keep an open mind.¡±


    Evans was handed a single but thick file from a lab tech. He promptly gave it to Min-jung so she could peruse the contents. The result was that she became flabbergasted by what was written in there.


    ¡°You... Are you serious?! Is this why you called me here for?¡±


    Evans nodded solemnly. ¡°Yes. It must be done. But the question is.... can you? Are you able to give yourself wholeheartedly to the project? Are you willing to make the ultimate sacrifice as a person of science? For the betterment of mankind?¡±


    ~


    ¡°So, what happened next?¡±


    Cleo asked in between the mouthful of the finest A-grade beef steak she ever had the pleasure to chew on.


    Mylorne''s tale took them well into the late evening. During the break in the storytelling, Jack had received treatment for his various aches and wounds. His chest was strapped, cuts and bruises covered in bandages. He even took a quick shower and a change of clothes. The end result was that he looked like completely a different person.


    After that, the dinner as promised was served and it was truly a sumptuous affair. A feast for sore eyes, of a lifetime, whatever ¨C it was that grand in scale. On top of that, Mylorne Akkad was a good, nay a great, storyteller. He knew just where to pause for a break, when to use the correct body language to convey the emotions, and which words to use in order to build the expectations of his audience members.


    ¡°Doctor Mercer accepted the position of the head researcher of gene manipulation for the project. The initial progress was slow, but then, more and more tombs of the past kings and heroes were unearthed, resulting in the increase of the sample pool. Eventually, the previous bottleneck encountered by the project showed the sign of finally being breached. Doctor Mercer''s brilliant theories and thesis broke past the difficult challenge of successfully augmenting humans with cloned genes of Supers. Supers who were stronger than the current crop, at any rate.¡±


    Akkad smiled ruefully as he took a slow sip of the red wine. He didn''t seem to be too happy about what he was saying.


    Jack, in the meantime, was slightly surprised to see him not favoring the white wine, though ¨C after all, almost everything about this place was decorated in creepy white. The dining table, for instance ¨C white. The plates, white. Forks and knives, also white. Good thing the served food wasn''t white, otherwise Jack would have to politely decline the meal.


    None of that was important to what he felt like currently. The truth was, Jack felt like hiding in a corner out of shame. After all, to think, that his mother played a crucial role in what had happened to Erik, Cleo and Lei. And even to himself. Their judgmental eyes after the revelation were especially hard to bear.


    But the fact that she used her own son as a test subject soon brought plenty of pity as well. Such a thing did not remotely make him feel any better, though. If anything, it was a small miracle that he was able to put food in his mouth and sense the texture of whatever he was chewing on.


    ¡°It''s still a mystery how Professor Evans was able to secure a massive funding from the Department of Defense. But I guess the power of the sarcophagus proved to be too persuasive in nature. An ancient Super that surpassed all the current living ones ¨C being able to keep a leash on such a powerful entity must have been a rather attractive proposition for the folks in Washington.¡±


    Jack wasn''t sure what Mylorne Akkad meant by that. Why would Washington, and the politicians residing in the capital city of his country, be tempted about something like this? What about human rights and civil liberty? Or was he being a naive, sheltered kid from the middle class who knew nothing and suspected nothing?


    ¡°Now, the long story is at its climax. With Doctor Min-jung Mercer''s help, the project made a breakthrough in the form of a successful batch of babies containing gene samples of Gilgamesh. But, as it often is the case, the first experimentation did not go well ¨C resulting in all the children born to wither away and eventually die. Obviously, that was not ideal and unacceptable to those who funded the project.


    ¡°But the discoveries of various tombs of famed warriors and kings and heroes ¨C and their still preserved genetic materials ¨C meant the scientists could try their hands with all sorts of permutations. A batch after batch of children was born, to varying degrees of success. Some manifested powers right away, some haven''t, even until now. Most perished, either due to birth defects, psychotic breakdowns or simply due to sheer bad luck.


    "And then ¨C there are the G children. You guys. Thirteen children, born with their DNAs augmented by various legendary figures'' genes, and all of that glued securely by Gilgamesh''s genetic structure.


    ¡°And you, Mister Mercer, the very last to awaken his set of powers. The final child of group codenamed G.¡±


    Jack grimaced a little. The way Mylorne Akkad said it, there was no room to refute that point. It was as final as it could possibly get. Besides, he had nothing else to say anyways.


    There was an uncomfortable silence that flowed within the dining toom as everyone stared at Jack. Their gazes held different emotions, but all of them made him feel really awkward.


    After a short while, Lei broke her usual character of not saying a damn thing if not needed and asked. ¡°Okay, fine. We''re some test subjects by men in suits. We get that. But why? Because of some kind of ancient prophecy found in a five thousand year old tomb of a long-dead guy? Isn''t that a bit nonsensical?¡±


    Akkad smiled softly. ¡°Indeed. But look at the bigger picture. From the data Evans compiled over the years, it''s clear that a Super ¨C gosh, I hate that word so much ¨C possessing a set of abilities so frightening, he or she could be comparable to the devil would rise to fill that role of the Lord of Darkness.


    ¡°And today, we have more and more Supers emerging from all corners of the society. Some well meaning, some not so much. Now, in the political climate of The Cold War between the Soviets and the U.S., can you just imagine the faces of those in power hearing of a possibility to build an army of loyal, superpowered combatants to stave off the threat of global destruction. And most importantly, keep the emerging population of Supers under control as well? It is no brainer in this regard.¡±


    ¡°An army of Supers,¡± intoned Erik, sounding rather gloomy. ¡°Like us.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    At the quick confirmation, Erik sunk deep into his chair, the rest of his meal left untouched on the plate. It was the same with Lei and Jack, except Cleo was busy licking the empty plate clean. She obviously read the heavy atmosphere the last and frowned deeply, before pointing down at the plates of her companions.


    ¡°Hey, if you are not planning to finish, you don''t mind, right?¡±


    ¡°Help yourself,¡± Erik spoke without mirth.


    Mylorne Akkad smiled gently. ¡°There is plenty to go around, so please, do not worry. If you need a second helping, I will organize for you. Miss Costanza.¡±


    Cleo nodded. ¡°Sure!! But it''s such a waste to throw away all these good stuff, you know!! It''s a bad habit, so I gotta do this right first.¡±


    In silence, the meal was completed, somehow. Akkad told everyone that the accommodation for them was ready if they wanted to stay for the night. Erik and his group had no reason to refuse, but as for Jack, well, he had no choice. His position here was an ambiguous one. Neither was he here willingly, nor was he treated like a prisoner. If he wanted to leave, then nominally, he could do just that.


    But Jack decided to stay. He knew there were still several important questions that needed to be asked. Plus, only Mylorne Akkad could answer them. Besides, there was this:


    ¡°Let us speak later in private, Mister Mercer. There is something else we need to discuss...¡±


    Mylorne said in a whisper when he and Jack were out of other''s earshot. That aligned pretty nicely with what Jack had in mind, so he didn''t refuse the invitation.


    The white robots led the kids to their respective accommodation. Akkad watched them, a soft smile of relief on his handsome face.


    While he was quietly mulling the future, a small beep rose from the Bluetooth earpiece he wore. Akkad tapped it lightly and replied. ¡°Yes?¡±


    A robotic female voice came on. ¡°Sir, Doctor Mercer is on line 3. She says it''s urgent. Should I patch her through?¡±


    Akkad contemplated for a moment, before shaking his head. ¡°No. Tell her I''m busy. And track her call location. Please find out where she is at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Meanwhile, oblivious to the call from his mother, Jack scanned his guest room. He already used the facilities here when he took the shower in the adjoining bathroom. Still, it was a bit hard to get used to all that white furniture.


    Sighing, he sat on the edge of the bed and shook his head. He wanted to call his parents, to tell them that he was okay, but there was no phone here and his own smartphone was thrown away. He couldn''t contact the outside unless he asked Mylorne for the assistance.


    I should.... call mom and dad. But.... What should I say to them?


    Did my dad know about me? About the Project?


    Jack lied down on the bed and shielded his eyes from the overhead lights. Try as he might, he couldn''t really digest the information.


    To think.... that his mother actually used him as a guinea pig in her own experiments. It was so unlike her. No, she wouldn''t do something like that.


    At the moment, it was only Mylorne''s words to go on. No proof as of yet. Or the proof was with Erik, Lei and Cleo''s existences?


    Jack''s thoughts were tangled up further.


    The trio were brought together around ten years ago to a nameless military base and then were kept there since then. Poked around and prodded upon, experimented on and trained to become the obedient soldiers. The trio didn''t dispute any of that. If anything, what Mylorne had said only reaffirmed what those three must have figured out by themselves.


    There were other strange facts at play here, too. The biggest one being, why wasn''t Jack taken from his home, like Erik, Lei and Cleo? And why did his mom leave the project? Jack thought that such a controversial undertaking involving lots of powerful individuals wouldn''t easily let the important, vital contributors from simply walking away.


    Maybe talking to Mylorne Akkad in private could shed the light on my own situation. I feel that.... I''m not supposed to be the same as Cleo and others.


    Jack rubbed his chest. The pain was almost all gone. As ever, his own recuperative ability surprised him. One more sign that he was a Super, and definitely related to this Gilgamesh without a doubt.


    Those memories ¨C could they be Gilgamesh''s? If so, then how the hell am I seeing them?


    Jack massaged his forehead as the damnable headache continued to beat in there. He thought that it was rather unpleasant to endure. Sighing, he got up reluctantly and headed to the bathroom, which was expectedly decked out in white as well. Splashing cold water on his face did little to soften the ache, however.


    Hah. Ask for an aspirin? Since it''s white in color, maybe he has it in the medicine cabinet. Probably....


    When Jack emerged from the white bathroom, a robot was waiting for him. It brought along the message from Mylorne Akkad.


    It was time.


    ~


    Meanwhile, Min-jung was frantically pacing back and forth in the corridor, ignoring the looks the passersby were giving her.


    She tried to redial the number but it was the same. The robotic female voice repeated the same thing over and over again.


    ¡°Mister Akkad is busy at the moment. Please call again later. Thank you for your understanding.¡±


    Min-jung felt like throwing the phone down in anger but somehow held back the urge.


    The report of the three ¡°G¡± coded children appearing in a suburb finally arrived at the hidden military base, sending the men here into a fit of a relative hysteria. Causing damage to civilian property was bad enough, but according to the reports, a civilian was even kidnapped as well. This was spelling a disaster. If this project and its contents were somehow leaked to the press, then it''d be very ugly for all those concerned.


    General Williams was fending off phone calls from Washington, his cigar progressively getting shorter and shorter as he chomped on it aggressively.


    As for Min-jung, she just came out to take a breather from all the hectic happenings, only for her phone to pick up the signal and receive the messages her daughter left behind. Dozens of them.


    That''s when she learned of the kidnapped civilian was none other than her own son. So, she was understandably upset.


    But she wasn''t an idiot. She began putting two and two together.


    The fact that the subjects G-9, G-10 and G-11 could escape the heavily-fortified Fort McGinley was suspicious enough, but the fact that they could disappear off the grid alone made her think of one man and his incredible reach ¨C her boss, Mylorne Akkad.


    That man was capable of orchestrating something like this. After all, he was also instrumental in her having Jack....


    She intensely regretted getting in the business relationship with him. It was too late now. She should have suspected something was afoot back then when Akkad sent her that suspicious message when Jack was still in the hospital.


    If her hunch was correct, then that Gilgamesh-mad billionaire was currently with her son at this very moment. The thought alone gave her the chills. She roughly estimated that Akkad was in that white tower of his. She knew where it was. Now, only if she could get away from here....


    Williams had the whole underground base under lockdown. No one was allowed to leave or enter until the trio of escapees were captured or sighted. Min-jung thought about telling the General about her suspicions but that also meant exposing her secret dealings with Akkad so that option was definitely out. She was not in a position to do something that could get her into further trouble.


    It was all so infuriating. She had to get to her son before Mylorne Akkad filled Jack''s head with things he shouldn''t know of. The time was against her side.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 13: The Weapons

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 13: The Weapons</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Jack followed the white robot to the elevator, passing through the stone tablets on display as well as that dimly lit corridor. He had to do that cold air/hot air thing before stepping out, though, which kind of took time.


    Inwardly, he was somewhat surprised to learn that the meeting place wasn''t in the ¡°loft¡± as well.


    Just what is Mylorne Akkad planning, I wonder?


    Jack asked the robot where Akkad was, but it didn''t answer, and instead continued to lead him forward. Looked like he wouldn''t receive any satisfying reply from the white tin can, so Jack shrugged his shoulders and carried on.


    The ride to the bottom of the tower took a bit longer than he remembered. Out of curiosity, Jack asked the robot why this was so, and surprisingly, got the answer that they were headed to a deep underground area. Again, he was reminded of the imagery of the Hell''s Gate, with malevolently smiling Mylorne Akkad, sprouting a pair of devilish horns, greeting him.


    After a lengthy ride down, Jack was dismayed to find yet another ride waiting for him, this time not a vertical but horizontal in nature. A white multi-seat cart sitting on rails was the method of travel this time, evoking the atmosphere of a cheesy, badly built lair belonging to some forgettable James Bond villain.


    The robot urged Jack to take a seat and albeit reluctantly, he did as told. The cart began sliding forward silently at a jogging pace down the craggy tunnel. He couldn''t see the end, making him wonder just how long he needed to take this ride for. This new method of travel didn''t last too long, maybe thirty seconds or so.


    That thirty seconds, however, felt like a very long time for him, sitting all alone on the seat of the white cart, facing the cool breeze brushing by his skin. This whole place was way too much like the set depicting the headquarters of the aforementioned British spy''s opponents and Jack didn''t know what to feel at that moment, although he was definitely quite nervous of what''s to come.


    His destination was not situated at the end of the railway, even. Jack could see that the cavern, or the tunnel, extended beyond to who knows where. But he didn''t feel like finding out just how far this tunnel went anytime soon. Not important towards achieving his goals, it was.


    There was a new robot waiting here to guide Jack. It led him into the entrance of a large, white, open dome-like hall, lined with ¨C gasp ¨C darkish gray tiles on the floor. The tapered ceiling reached at least five meters up and the LED lighting coming from the numerous recesses on the white surface. Walls were covered in foam-like substance as well, most likely designed to absorb and disperse the harsh impact from.... something.


    The entire hall''s overall dimension was as large as that of a Roman amphitheater.


    Mylorne Akkad was here, standing in the middle of this hall, his hands behind his back. He sported a gentle smile, but his eyes were razor-sharp, like that of a predator. His attire had changed to a loose fitting set of gray shirt and pants that didn''t constrict any and all quick movements. And Jack couldn''t help but notice that Akkad was now barefoot as well, strapped tightly in black tapes.


    Now, Jack was not an idiot. He could easily see that this meeting place was not quite inducive towards a deep, meaningful discussion involving sincere dialogue straight from their hearts. No way in hell.


    This place was an arena, a battleground for warriors. The tiles on the floor attested to this notion as they were solid enough not to easily break, but at the same time pliable enough to absorb some of the impacts that no doubt would happen later on.


    And then, there was the aura coming off of Mylorne Akkad to consider as well. Even though there was a gentle smile pasted on his lips, naked flames of excitement burned hot within his eyes. His well-horned frame exuded calmness like a still surface of a lake at an early dawn, unfathomably deep and mysteriously murky. The undercurrent of fighting spirit only recognizable to another warrior oozed out from every imagined pore, giving Jack the case of unrestrained goosebumps.


    This was one hell of a tense atmosphere. Kinda like as if they were in the middle of a Mexican stand-off, except that there were only two participants.


    Jack, through no choice of his own, had begun the process of possessing the quality of a warrior and so, naturally, he was picking up every little detail of this tense moment. A wry, helpless smile slowly formed on his lips.


    ¡°Welcome to the underground training area, Mister Mercer. I''ve been waiting for you, for this moment, for a very long time.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, sorry about the delay. The elevator ride was on the slower side. But uh, what''s this all about? Why are we here, Mister Akkad?¡±


    ¡°What else? To train, of course.¡± Chuckling, Mylorne threw a pair of red-and-black sparring gloves and flat heeled shoes at Jack. ¡°Put those on. You don''t want to injure your hands and feet now, do you?¡±


    ¡°Uh, these are?¡± Jack fumbled with the gloves'' velcro, wondering what the hell was going on here. ¡°I just came here to talk, Mister... Akkad. I don''t need to train or anything. Also, I don''t know if you''ve noticed or not, but I''m not 100%.¡±


    ¡°Oh, do not worry about your injuries. You must have felt the effects of my Healing Mist by now. I''ve spent a billion dollars to research and develop the system. More importantly, your ribs should be more or less okay by now, especially when paired with your inborn ability to heal yourself.¡±


    Jack unconsciously rubbed his chest, thinking, Oh, so that''s why it doesn''t hurt anymore....


    ¡°Well then, are you ready?¡± Akkad asked with a soft smile and an expression that was nigh on impossible to read. Jack grimaced weakly as he finished putting on the gloves and shoes.


    ¡°Uhm... may I ask, what should I be ready for, exactly?¡±


    ¡°A sparring match. With me.¡±


    Jack''s eyes opened up wide. ¡°No, wait a sec here. I didn''t agree to spar with you. Hell, I just wanted some answers, not trade blows.¡±


    ¡°Well, no one said we can''t talk while we spar. Let''s go, Mister Mercer. Try to keep up.¡±


    Jack tried to protest but by then, without warning Mylorne lightly dashed forward. And he was fast. Really, really fast. Jack was simply not ready to receive anything.


    With a loud ¡°bam!!¡± Jack was flung backward and landed on the tiles with a thud. Almost all the air was knocked out of his lungs from the impact.


    Jack could only catch the tail-end of what Mylorne did; a shoulder tackle, perfectly aimed at the unprotected midriffs.


    ¡°Come on, get up, Mister Mercer. You can do better than this.¡±


    Mylorne Akkad goaded Jack, gesturing with both his hands. Jack frowned and rubbed his belly again while sitting up. It didn''t hurt as much but the shock of getting pushed back stayed with him. The bandages strapped to his chest constricted his breathing somewhat.


    Gritting his teeth, Jack forced his legs to move and slowly got up. Akkad nodded as if he approved of the action, before taking guard.


    ¡°For now, don''t try to rely too much on your senses only, Mister Mercer. Let your instincts take over. Trust it to make the correct decision.¡±


    With that small advice, Akkad moved again. He was quick, but slightly slower than before, allowing Jack to see him coming.


    Oh, sh*t!! I gotta block that!!


    Jack raised his arms to shield his torso only to feel Akkad''s foot connecting with his lower hip. This time, the sharp pain was as real as it got and it hurt like hell.


    Jack stumbled to his side off balance. Akkad gave him no room to recover and kept on attacking by going down low and sweeping Jack''s legs clean. The gravity did its thing after that and he fell on his butt hard.


    Jack''s mind spun; his ass screamed in pain. His lower torso wasn''t responding to his commands at all, completely numb from the shock.


    Akkad, on the other hand, was up on his feet already, waiting.


    ¡°Come on, Mister Mercer. This is getting way too one-sided. Where''s that skill which made Miss Cleo Costanza completely incapable of touching you? What happened to that grit and desire to emerge as a winner? Show it to me!!¡±


    Jack shook his head. ¡°Why should I? I just wanted to ask you some questions, find the answers and maybe figure out what''s going on with me!! I... I don''t need to fight you for that, do I?¡±


    Mylorne Akkad took a step back as he relaxed his hands on the hips. He licked his upper lip before speaking his next words slowly. ¡°Right, if it''s some ''answers'' that you seek, then hit me. If you can land one hit, just one, then I shall answer one question. Land another one, then it''s another answer. How does that sound?¡±


    Jack slowly got up and fiercely stared at Mylorne. ¡°Fine.¡±


    In truth, he was reluctant to do this, but since Mylorne was playing it the hard way....


    Jack took a deep breath, trying to recall those moments when he could ¡°see¡± what the opponents would do. Like back then, when he was fighting the coyote, or the armed robber or even Cleo. Those moments, when his life was threatened, when he just knew what he should do to survive.


    Jack raised his dukes. He let the sensation of strength flow into him. Almost imperceptibly, his muscles trembled, bulging ¨C as if gathering explosive power.


    Akkad smiled softly once more. He seemed genuinely happy now.


    Jack was weirded out from that enigmatic smile, but he decided to ignore that for now and concentrate on landing some hits on the billionaire, maybe put a dent in that confidence while he was at it.


    For a few seconds, no one made a move, simply sizing each other up.


    Normally, Jack might find such silence stifling, but not right now. He carefully studied the opponent before him, watching and reading. Before he had time to realize it, a simple action such as this gave him an untold amount of excitement. It was literally quite unlike any other. He was thrilled to his core, his entire being buzzing with anticipation.


    And when Akkad finally moved, the anticipation shot through the roof. Jack countered instinctively, just like how he was told to do so.


    Akkad''s frontal kick was swift and accurate but Jack read it well enough. The speed itself was only half of what Cleo was capable of and Jack could barely react in time, swaying out of the arc and slapping the foot away, upsetting the balance of Mylorne.


    Jack retaliated by jabbing forward at the still-moving body of Akkad.


    Akkad''s eyes glimmered in excitement as he miraculously twisted out of the way. Jack''s punch was a miss, but it was only the beginning.


    The two of them exchanged several blows, the tempo gradually picking up until Jack could no longer keep up.


    In this brief sparring, he understood that Akkad was purposefully holding back most of his strength and speed. He was going easy on Jack for obvious reasons.


    And when it came to the proficiency at martial art techniques, it seemed like they were even, at least initially. Jack knew how to read and counter in time to almost every one of Akkad''s attacks. But as they continued, even here he found himself on the back foot.


    Even then, Jack managed to block, dodge or counter accordingly like a master of combat with years of experience under his belt. Which was impossible, logically speaking. Any outside observer would say Jack looked so natural, as if he had trained all his life; as if he was a god of war.


    The elated, primal smile on his face attested to this notion more clearly than anything else, although he was gradually being pushed back, the ferocious, almost feral, smile remained.


    After a while, it became clear that, at this rate, Jack was not going to hit Mylorne Akkad. If anything, the gap between the two men widened continuously.


    With a powerful shove, Jack stumbled back, losing his posture. Seizing upon this chance, Akkad came closing in for another well-placed shoulder tackle.


    Right at that moment, Jack''s eyes snapped open. He was actually waiting for this, the previous stumble a feint to draw in his opponent.


    Akkad noticed it too late and the end result was that Jack was able to grab onto his arms, locking on tightly. Akkad spun on his heels to free himself from the position, but Jack was ready for that too and instead utilized the momentum to throw Akkad to his side.


    Although Mylorne Akkad recovered just before hitting the floor, the satisfaction Jack felt right there and then was incredibly wonderful.


    ¡°Well? That should count, right?¡±


    Jack asked, out of breath.


    On the other hand, Akkad was slightly sweating, not a hair out of place. But he nodded and agreed.


    ¡°Yes, you were successful in landing a blow. Well done, Mister Mercer.¡± Akkad then straightened his posture and turned his appreciative gaze towards Jack. ¡°It''s only been just over a month since your awakening, yet you have recalled so much of your unarmed combat techniques. Well done, Mister Mercer. Well done, indeed.¡±


    Jack wiped the pouring sweat off his forehead. ¡°Recalled? What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You must have seen them. Whether it was a dream creeping upon you in the middle of a night or a sudden nostalgic flashback to a time long past since, you must have encountered visions of the land and of events unexplainable ¨C as if they are your living memories, as fresh as that drop of sweat on your skin.¡±


    Jack became serious as Akkad began mentioning the visions. He told absolutely no one about them, so how could this guy know?


    ¡°Why do I have these.... dreams? Why can I fight like this? What am I? I feel like... I''m not just some augmented Super made by a government conspiracy. Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, you are not. You are much, much more than an augmentation.¡± Akkad''s smile deepened. ¡°Well, you''ve exhausted your first question. Now, are you ready for the second round?¡±


    ¡°No, wait a sec!! Hey man, that''s not fair!!¡±


    Akkad ignored Jack and clapped his hands lightly. Then, a section of the floor rose up, and with it a cabinet full of weapons. Swords of various shapes and sizes, axes, varying polearms ¨C all present and correct, except that they were made out of wood. Training weapons, in other words.


    ¡°If I remember correctly, the past you had an affinity in pretty much every known type of weapons. So, pick anyone you like. As for me...¡±


    Akkad picked out a wooden katana, a bokuto, and swung it lightly then nodded.


    As for Jack, he stood there speechless. Gritting his teeth in anger, he reached out and grabbed the very first thing his hand landed on, which happened to be a pair of nunchucks.


    He felt like an idiot holding that unfamiliar thing, so he hastily put that down and took a serious look at what was available. He had no idea which weapon to use, but seeing that he needed to win, or at least score a hit, he decided to go with something that had either bulk or length. He chose the latter, in the form of a wooden spear.


    Akkad chuckled lightly. ¡°Oh, that. Not very surprising. You also favored polearms back in the day, although you never found one that suited your tastes.¡±


    Jack swung the spear around, feeling its weight. For something made out of wood, it sure was heavy. He wasn''t sure why, but the balance of the weapon appealed to him. And he had no idea what that even meant. It was all just.... oddly familiar to him without knowing why. Since he was this far down the rabbit hole, he steeled his heart, deciding to see to the very end.


    Jack took a sideways stance, keeping the front of the spear low but putting strength in his front leg, ready to explode forward at a moment''s notice.


    Mylorne Akkad nodded, before gripping the bokuto in an orthodox, textbook Chudan stance used in Kendo. The weapon was held forward, its tip unswerving, steady.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    With a short but loud yell, Akkad shot out like a bullet. In a flash, he was in front of Jack.


    Jack released the accumulated strength on the leg, stepping to the side and swinging the spear in a rising arc. The two weapons collided with a whack, and Jack felt his palms go numb from the pain. He gritted his teeth and forcibly shoved forward, pushing Akkad off his feet.


    Not stopping there, Jack launched a series of precisely controlled stabbing blows, aimed at Akkad''s torso. The spear moved in a blur, leaving behind afterimages.


    Akkad loudly yelled again and his bokuto exploded into action, parrying the stabbing spear tip. His defenses were too solid and Jack couldn''t pry open a gap.


    Jack believed that he had a superiority because of the advantage in length. Utilizing that, Jack lunged forward, trying to draw out Akkad and make him commit into a frontal counter. Indeed, Akkad came for that very attack.


    Jack was ready to turn this moment for his own advantage, only to watch as the bokuto magically bend in an impossible way around his spear to strike his forearm. The stinging blow meant he inadvertently let go of his grip, allowing Akkad to sneak in yet another hit to his shoulder. With a shocked groan, Jack retreated while massaging his shoulders.


    It was too fast to block. Not enough time to react at all.


    Jack was dazed as he rubbed his aching limb, unable to understand how the hell Akkad did what he did with that wooden sword. He frowned, searching through the memories for an answer. None came.


    ¡°Wondering how I did that?¡± Akkad helpfully spoke as he took another stance, this time that of Jodan, his bokuto raised above his head.


    ¡°It''s simple ¨C your eyes are fooled by my speed!!¡±


    Akkad again exploded with that unparalleled speed. The wooden katana chopped down, hard. Once more, the blade seemed to bend in the air as if it was a mere illusion.


    Jack hastily raised his spear in order to parry it but the blow he received was much heavier than he thought. Kneeling on one knee, Jack tried to offset the impact of the blow by tilting the spear to one side but Akkad didn''t give him time for that and instead sent him flying with a kick to his sternum.


    All the air was knocked out his lungs. Jack tumbled backward rather ungracefully before slamming against the wall.


    He breathed heavily, eyes briefly losing focus before snapping back thanks to his screaming chest, a painful reminder that he lost that exchange. There was some venom in that kick, but Jack could still tell that Akkad held back just enough so he would get injured. Not seriously, anyways.


    A flash of embarrassment swept by Jack''s face. He felt ashamed at how weak he was currently, not even able to see the incoming attacks clearly. It was pathetic, really. His old self wouldn''t have allowed such weakness at all.


    Wait, what? My old self? What... Why am I thinking like this?!


    ¡°You have begun to reacquire your old skills but your body is simply not strong enough to support them. This is a tragedy of the highest caliber. Only if I had access to you right after the incident, then you wouldn''t be like this....¡±


    Akkad sounded genuinely upset as he spoke, at least to Jack''s point of view. But Jack was able to understand one thing from that.


    ¡°You... can make me stronger? How?¡±


    Akkad''s face became somber.


    ¡°You have seen them, haven''t you? The Red Souls?¡±


    The mere mentioning of those screaming souls made Jack sit up and pay attention. To his surprise, Mylorne Akkad knew. But how could he? The only other person who knew about them was Taylor, and there was no way she''d tell anyone, never mind to a tech billionaire.


    He began panting heavily. ¡°You... know about them?! The Red Souls, I mean. But how?¡±


    Akkad sighed softly. With a soulful, longing look on his face, he murmured. ¡°You know this already, don''t you? You know who I am. I can see in your eyes that you have recognized me earlier. My.... old friend. Remember me, my name. Our friendship....¡±


    Like a thunderclap shattering the calm sky, Jack''s mind was powerfully shaken. He tottered as if he lost all strength in his legs, before stabilizing his stance.


    ¡°No, but.... That''s not possible, right? I mean, that.... If true, then you''d be at least five thousand years old!!¡±


    Jack gripped the spear tight until the wood creaked under the immense pressure, almost breaking apart. But the truth in front of him didn''t change at all. The almost-pleading face of the man standing before him.... began to superimpose with the one from his visions, of the man in the past.


    The man Jack has seen in his dreams, within the recalled memories of.... the God-King.


    A man wearing a rough, simple garments, his face full of beard and a dignified aura oozing out; he was the man named Utnapishtim the Immortal, also known as The Preserver of Life.


    ~


    Meanwhile, as the evening was descending in the city of New York....


    In Times Square, one of the huge electronic billboards was showing a news broadcast. The contents spoken by the sexy blonde anchor couldn''t be heard as the sound was muted. The dynamic cacophony of the city''s noises meant that it didn''t matter anyways.


    Nico Gavalas gazed at the billboard, slightly dazed. He could see the anchor''s lips move in a hypnotic fashion, somehow drawing him in, making sure he could not tear his eyes away. The only respite arriving as the scene changed to another, and the figure of the female anchor no longer on screen.


    Yet, Gavalas stood there, not caring whether the crowd walking by ran into him or not. His eyes were now firmly affixed at the ticker tape at the bottom of the screen. The results of the day''s stock market flashed by, as well as snippets of the day''s headlines.


    One of them caught his attention more than the others.


    ¡°The suspect of JFK massacre still at large: NYPD. If you have any leads, call....¡±


    ¡°They are still hung up over that?¡± Nico Gavalas chuckled to himself. ¡°Oh well, not my problem anymore!!¡±


    He hoisted the gym bag closer to his shoulder and let his eyes wander around, searching, taking in the sights and the smells of this amazing place. There sure was a lot of people here and if one didn''t have a decent sense of direction, then the poor sucker might get lost in the writhing maze of neon, flesh, concrete and metal.


    He fished out a worn-out compass from his pocket and gazed into the cracked glass with intensity. The corners of his eyes became bloodshot as he stared deeper and deeper into it ¨C until, the lone needle inside began to vibrate, slowly tilting to point in the Northerly direction.


    Nico wiped the sweat off his forehead wearily and with a deep inhale, he set off towards the way pointed out by the seemingly broken compass.


    Soon after, his feet led him far past the glitzy avenues and beyond, behind some forgotten alleyway filled with vomit stains and trash dancing in the sporadic eruption of winds from the passing underground subway trains, the air expelling through the grilles placed sporadically on the sidewalk.


    Unfortunately for Nico, there was no Marilyn Monroe-like figure standing on top on one such grille. He maintained a wry chuckle as he thought about that little missed opportunity. Not that it qualified as one, anyways.


    He continued to check the orientation of the needle every time he crossed a road, adjusting his heading cautiously as if he didn''t want to end up in a wrong place.


    Eventually, he was standing in front of a run-down apartment block; noises of human occupation coming off of it in the form of garbled Hip Hop featuring headache-inducing bass notes, drunken shouts, and occasionally, even a distant gunshot or two accompanied by the equally distant wail of a police siren that seemed just as surreal as the calling of a real siren inside a drug-fuelled dream of a junkie.


    It was a world far removed from the bright lights of Times Square without a doubt.


    The needle pointed towards one of the apartments. Nico raised his head and scanned it briefly. The curtains were drawn over all of the windows and none of them were open. The lights were off in most of the apartments as well, with no signs of any human beings inside at all. It was the same with the particular apartment the compass''s needle pointed at.


    In front, a small gathering of African American youths crowding over a seventies American muscle car, loud music reverberating from it. One of them noticed Nico staring at the building, and sauntered over after giving a sideways glance towards his buddies. He brought his large, muscled frame in front of Nico and blocked his view to the building, and with a menacing snarl, he threateningly spat out.


    ¡°Yo, homie, you lost?¡±


    The words were delivered with power and disdain, and would''ve scared the lesser men quite easily, but not Nico.


    All the threatening words achieved was breaking the studious gaze of Nico off the apartment''s windows. He turned his attention to the youth, his eyes showing confusion. After checking out the man, Nico smiled and shook his head.


    ¡°Oh, no. I''m not lost. Thank you for asking.¡±


    The African youth was taken aback at such a nonchalant response, momentarily not sure of how to retort.


    Ignoring the man, Nico stepped past him and approached the entrance in an unhurried, leisurely manner. The youth was startled but recovered quickly enough and he blocked Nico''s path again.


    ¡°Yo, you in the wrong neighborhood, you dig? Or you want something? You looking to score?¡±


    Nico tilted his head, wondering what this guy was talking about.


    ¡°No, it''s alright. I''m not looking to score, as you say. But actually, I am searching for something.¡±


    The youth grabbed Nico''s shoulder and glared aggressively. ¡°Like what, white boy? You want dope? Or candy? Uncle Max''s got some, for the right price. You feel me?¡±


    Nico was definitely not feeling this guy. Shaking his head, Nico frowned. ¡°No, what I want is none of those. But it''s inside this building.¡±


    Hearing this, the face of the African man fell slightly. The tone of his voice was lowered by a few octaves as he leaned in closer.


    ¡°You better not cause any trouble for Uncle Max, or there be consequences, feel me? This building is his territory, you dig? You make life difficult for Uncle Max, and he makes your life f**king hell, ain''t that right?¡±


    He even flashed his hidden .45 Colt pistol, tucked under his black leather pants'' drooping waistline. His underpants were showing, too. Now normally, this would scare the bejesus out of regular folks, but not Nico Gavalas. Oh no.


    Because he was the Chosen. The destiny had chosen him, and bestowed an incredible task upon his shoulders. A cute little display like this could not faze him in the slightest.


    Chuckling, Nico patted the African man on his shoulder. ¡°Sure thing. No trouble from me. I''ll be real quick, in and out. No trouble at all.¡±


    Nico walked past the man and entered the front foyer of the building, the jeers coming from the gathering of youths behind him entering through one ear and leaving just as swiftly via the other one. Nico was oblivious to unimportant matters, after all. He instead pulled out the compass to confirm his heading and was happy to find it gently humming within his palm. This was the sign that his objective was nearby. Very close, in fact.


    Nico quickly jogged up the stairs and arrived at the floor with the apartment in question. No one came out of their homes to check out the new arrival in the building. The hallway was eerily subdued, although the distorted bass and muffled voices could be heard through the walls. It was a weird combination to him but Nico didn''t really mind, just shrugging his shoulders and moving on.


    He carefully put the gym bag down and opened it, revealing the golden skull. Almost immediately, the golden light inundated the hallway, bathing it with its strange, upsetting glow. Then, it converged on Nico, his body turning almost transparent.


    When he moved again, picking up the bag and walking down the hallway, not a single sound from him could be heard; his footsteps, the rustle of fabric, the floorboards creaking ¨C none of that made a sound, not even a hush. The strange light made him.... as silent as the approaching Grim Reaper.


    He approached an apartment door and reached out for it, only to see that it was ever-so-slightly open. Immediately, he tensed. Nico carefully entered the apartment, not wanting to disrupt anything nor touch stuff and leave behind a trail.


    As Nico figured, it was dark inside. No light was switched on. But there was enough illumination from the street, allowing him to see the layout of the living room. No one was here.


    Carefully, he placed the bag down by the kitchen entrance where his object waited for him.


    There were two men in the kitchen, one African American and large. As for the other guy....


    The African man was bound to a chair, blood covering him. Some were new, some dried up. Cuts and bruises were evident, as well as makeshift restraints made up of belts and duck tapes.


    The second man was clad in a cloak of darkness. He wore a hood, his face hidden behind a black mask, his wiry but strong frame under a dark overcoat that sucked in all the nearby light.


    In his hand, a dagger with a red hilt and a blade inscribed in unknown symbols. The edges glistened with the blood of its victim.


    The masked man was growling menacingly at the African American man tied to the chair.


    ¡°Where is the girl? Answer me!!¡±


    The bleeding, bound man groaned. ¡°F**k you, asshole. You think you''re a hot stuff? You f**king Super.... You ain''t nothing, asshole.... You will never find her.... And even if you do find her, she''ll be dead by then.¡±


    The bound man cackled between the mouthful of blood and the pain wrecking him. Even someone like Nico could accurately tell this guy was absolutely nowhere near to confessing his crimes, whatever it happened to be. And he was only here for less than a minute.


    Perhaps understanding this point too well, the masked man grimaced and began to cut the African man with the dagger while holding the victim''s mouth shut. The anger and desperation were palpable in the vigilante''s eyes. The muffled screams of pain and terror drowned out all the other noises, the low humming of the old freezer, the slow, rhythmical drip of water from a pipe, the neighbor''s loud TV.


    ¡°Where is she?!¡±


    After several tens of seconds of continuous torture, the masked man asked again, his voice much more menacing than before.


    The African man was about to give up and spill the beans when he had finally noticed Nico standing by the kitchen''s entrance, observing what was going on with an interested grin. Nico was focused on the masked man''s dagger, watching it move in the air with near religious fervor.


    The vigilante also registered the new player on the scene, belatedly stepping back and brandishing the dagger.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    The vigilante became very vigilant, as his moniker might have suggested. The dagger reflected the street lights, the dazzling quality not diminished one bit with all that blood on the blade.


    Nico Gavalas shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Don''t mind me. Please, finish what you''re doing first, then we''ll talk afterwards.¡±


    The vigilante narrowed his eyes in suspicion. ¡°And if I''m not in the mood to talk?¡±


    Nico pursed his lips and shook his head.


    ¡°Well, it doesn''t matter. I just want that dagger. That''s all.¡±


    As soon as the words left his mouth, the vigilante pounced. The dagger made a straight beeline at Nico''s throat, the move brimming with the naked killing intent.


    Nico''s face color changed; he quickly stepped back and tilted his body out of the cramped kitchen entrance. The dagger narrowly missed the flesh but the vigilante quickly withdrew and slashed out again, necessitating Nico to take more steps to dodge the incoming attacks.


    ¡°You should stop this, mister. You''re troubling Uncle Max,¡± quipped Nico as he expertly escaped the deadly slashes of the masked vigilante.


    When the two arrived at the living room, Nico could open up a bit of distance between the two.


    ¡°Hey, no need for violence, mister. Just give me that dagger, and you go back to.... finding that girl. No trouble for both of us, right?¡±


    The vigilante snorted coldly.


    ¡°You want this dagger? Not sure how you found out about its origins, but no way in hell you''re taking it from me!!¡±


    Nico made a complicated face.


    ¡°Oh, come on, don''t be like that, now. We can negotiate. My liege will exchange with you something just as good. He can grant you enormous power so you can, I don''t know, rescue that girl. It''s a good deal, don''t you think?¡±


    ¡°Shut the hell up!!¡±


    The vigilante athletically jumped over the coffee table getting in the way and performed an aerial kick. But it was all for nothing as Nico simply dodged to his side before landing a solid blow to the airborne vigilante''s abdomen with his palm.


    The vigilante spat out a mouthful of blood as he crashed against the furniture, smashing them up. At the same time, he lost his grip on the dagger, dropping it on the floor.


    ¡°There you go, that wasn''t so hard, was it?¡±


    Chuckling in a content manner, Nico glanced over at the coughing vigilante before bending down to pick up the dagger.


    ¡°Now, what should I do with you....¡±


    Nico straightened his back and gazed at the vigilante, his fingers tightly coiling around the gleaming weapon. The mask was in the way, but Nico was pretty sure of the vigilante having a very ugly expression right now. Imagining that, he felt quite proud of his own achievements ¨C it only had been less than a week but boy, his strength had grown in leaps and bounds, totally unexplainable by logic and science. He was even more powerful than a Super, for crying out loud!!


    Because of his conceited state, he didn''t pick up on the cue; the vigilante suddenly moved. He deftly jumped out of the nearest window, smashing past the glass and the mosquito net.


    Nico hurriedly went over and looked outside, only to witness the vigilante jumping across to the neighboring rooftop and dashing away.


    ¡°Oh. Just as well,¡± said Nico as he shrugged his shoulders. He wasn''t planning to give chase in the first place; after all, if everything went according to plan, then not much of this city would be left behind anyways.


    Shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, Nico went back to the kitchen entrance where he had lowered the gym bag. He glanced at the bound man before placing the dagger inside the bag.


    ¡°Well, sorry for disturbing you. And... oh!! Right, I''m also sorry for the furniture. I couldn''t help it. Now then, good evening.¡±


    Smiling at the flabbergasted man, Nico left the apartment in a good mood. And why shouldn''t he be? He did get what he came here for, after all. Quite easily, too.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)


    (Oh, and the next update might come either on Saturday or Sunday. Apologies for the slight delay; it turns out, I need a bit of rest before I burn out of overwork....sob.)

 Red Souls Chapter 14: The Identity

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 14: The Identity</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Before anyone knew, the new day arrived. Saturday changed to Sunday. Jack dazedly opened his eyes, wondering for a second where he was as his eyes focused on the unfamiliar ceiling above. It took a short while before it all registered in his brain.


    He found his ability to go to sleep somewhat funny. He hadn''t taken a single sleeping pill last night, yet as soon as his face hit the comfy white pillow, he just passed out like a drunkard.


    Why was that? Jack could only suspect his own accumulated mental fatigue. The constant barrage of shocks and revelations he had received throughout the whole of yesterday was indeed bothering on insanity so it was kind of expected.


    Jack sat up on the white bed and groaned. His head was muddled and it was not easy to focus his thoughts. The curtains automatically drew apart and slowly revealed the rising morning sun, breaking out of the horizon.


    Jack offhandedly thought that the world at large would continue to spin around, uncaring of the circumstances and battles that the mere mortals fought every single day. That rising sun was the perfect example of how insignificant his own troubles seemed.


    And where would he even begin to digest what he learned?


    The bedroom was high up in the sky; the morning clouds were his neighbors. The orange glow of the morning sunlight felt more vivid, hotter and brighter than usual. Jack squinted his eyes as the glare of warm rays stroked his face.


    He gingerly pulled himself up off the bed and stretched his cramped limbs. The aches from the sparring match and Cleo''s beatdown had all but disappeared as if they were all lies told by a cry wolf. To make sure it wasn''t just the good rest he had masking the pains and aches, he lightly swung his shoulders around for a bit.


    He was perfectly fine. Then he remembered that he did access that red soul space inside his mind during the night. As more blood circulated to his brain, Jack recalled doing some stuff in there to heal the hidden injuries. Coupled with that billion dollar Healing Mist thingy, it was obvious that his recuperative abilities would get a serious, out of this world boost.


    Of course, he also had a brief glimpse of the past him. Of Gilgamesh. This time, it was about him meeting Utnapishtim and his wife. Gilgamesh wanted the secret to the eternal life, the immortality. The unhappy looks of Utnapishtim were kind of funny, Jack mused quietly to himself.


    Oh, right, Mylorne Akkad said something about helping me with accumulating more of those red souls. Should I take him up on that?


    Jack sighed softly before heading to the bathroom to wash up. Then he changed into a set of new clothes, provided free of charge by the gracious host Mylorne Akkad.


    That was one of those hard-to-digest facts Jack had to face. Out of many unbelievable revelations, this one ranked pretty high up there as the most improbable things to happen. But the more he thought about it, the truer it seemed. The face of Utnapishtim in his dreams/memories was the exact same one with Mylorne Akkad''s, minus the bushy caveman-style beard and the curly, waist-length hair.


    That made Akkad over five thousand years old. No, much more than that, since in his memories, the great flood, The Cleansing Flood, happened many, many thousands of years before the era of Gilgamesh. Then, just how ancient was he?!


    So, him looking like a fit forty-something yuppie defied all logic. The whole idea violated the mere thought of any common sense from behind and threw the hurting remnant right off the tallest building in the world, science be damned.


    But Jack was not in any position to retort to how absurd it all was. After all, he was a reincarnated version of the God-King Gilgamesh ¨C so he too was in the midst of busy violating the common sense, albeit unknowingly.


    Ah, yes, the biggest elephant in the room.


    Jack splashed cold water on his face and stared at the reflection. No matter how hard he looked, he.... seemed normal. Obviously one wouldn''t be able to tell apart a genetics-augmented being from a regular person but still.


    But he wasn''t an augmented Super soldier for the Big Brother. He was much, much more than that. The children of the Project Dead Kings were augmented with the various genes of historical Supers, their genes glued together by Gilgamesh''s own.


    In Jack''s case, though ¨C no such thing. Nope.


    He was the proper clone of Gilgamesh. He was 100% the legendary figure from the past. The face that was staring back in the mirror, that was Gilgamesh''s. The hand that scooped the cold water from the faucet belonged to Gilgamesh.


    He was the Gilgamesh. Just a lot weaker.


    When he heard that straight from the mouth of Mylorne Akkad or Utnapishtim the Immortal, the Preserver of Life, Jack could no longer stand. He needed a rest. He needed to hide somewhere and just crash for a couple of hours. So, the reasons of why he wasn''t taken like the other kids in the Project would be conveyed to him at a later stage. Jack was fine with that schedule. Absolutely fine.


    Well, this was a new day, and he''d have to face more of the mysteries surrounding himself and his family.


    Jack mulled all of these facts and questions while walking slowly out of the bedroom. The trio of teenage Supers was all awake already, and they were lounging around in the living area.


    Lei was, as usual, fiddling around with her iPod and the red earphones were also firmly stuck in her ears. Erik was watching the TV with a pair of white headphones while Cleo was munching on some kind of biscuit, her eyes half closed. It was difficult to tell whether she was wide awake or busy sleepwalking.


    As a matter of fact, all three of them had thick dark bags under their eyes. It seemed that Jack was the only one who ¡°enjoyed¡± a good night''s rest.


    ¡°Morning,¡± greeted Jack at the trio. Only Lei showed a small, passing interest at it by waving her hand for a second before concentrating on her iPod again. Erik was too absorbed in the broadcast to reply, and as for Cleo, well....


    On her own accord, she began offering the reasons for the rather strained appearances of her and her friends.


    ¡°So, like, I couldn''t really sleep. Did you know, that I can watch over three thousand movies on that massive TV? That''s, like, a lot. Like, a freakin'' lot, you know!! So I was flipping channels to see if there was anything interesting.... for the whole night..... There was a thing about a planet full of monkeys and naked men. And that twist ending, though. I really didn''t see that coming, you know? And then, this guy, trying to steal 50 cars in one night.... And he was flying in the end. That was pretty cool. I wish I could fly like that. And then, and then....


    ¡°And then these guys came out and we just sort of watched stuff on TV until now. Ah, I''m so hungry. Where''s breakfast already?!¡±


    Jack smile wryly before shifting his gaze to the screen. His face darkened slightly soon after.


    Currently, it was showing a news broadcast. The segment showed the interior of an airport with Hazmat suit wearing people busily sauntering about while carrying around several strange-looking types of equipment. If it weren''t for the loud banners proclaiming the reasons for such a scene, Jack might have thought that he was seeing an archival footage instead.


    Only Erik could hear the contents of the broadcast via the headphone but Jack didn''t need the sound the get gist of the story; the aforementioned banners told him enough.


    There was a huge incident in JFK and that the countless number of people had died. The National Guard was being mobilized as well as the some of the most recognized and powerful Supers were heading to New York to participate in the hunt for the culprit of the tragedy.


    The CCTV footage showed a very grainy image of the suspect. Apparently, the entire airport was severely damaged by what this guy did and that included almost all of the security recordings, thus resulting in the poor image quality. Apparently, that extensive damage was hampering the progress of the investigation.


    The banner showed that the federal agents and Supers who specialized in investigative side of things were concentrating on going through several passenger manifestos provided by the various airlines. Comparing the names and the country of origin from those lists was a tedious process but something that had to be done in order to identify the victims as well.


    Meanwhile, a huge manhunt was unfolding in the city, as the entire Five Boroughs were in a proverbial lockdown since late yesterday.


    The screen''s image kept on changing from that of stern-looking policemen and women walking around to tense-looking citizens being interviewed; from one or two famous Supers flying over the city''s skies, to the National Guard members arriving in their military trucks.


    Then finally, another shot of the airport, and its eerie interior where there were empty, ownerless clothes strewn about the floor. No bodies to speak of. Not even a spot of blood, anywhere. Instead, there was sand. Lots, and lots, of fine yellow sand.


    Quite a few walls had melted and in their places, more sand. It was as if a desert suddenly materialized out of thin air and replaced some part of the airport''s interior.


    Jack shuddered involuntarily when he saw that. A flash of dark memory caused a now-familiar pulsing migraine. He rubbed his forehead, trying to numb the pain but it didn''t work. A sense of deadly premonition slowly rose up in his heart, making him shudder even more. It was not an actual premonition of the future but rather, akin to him recognizing the sandy condition of the airport and the ill omen that pertained to.


    I recognize that. That... I have seen that in one of my dreams. No, my memories. But... it''s not complete. Who possessed the power to turn all things into sand? I know that there was someone, but who?


    Jack frowned as the migraine became stronger. He felt like sitting down and drink a whole pitcher full of cold water.


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    Cleo asked Jack with an absentminded expression.


    Jack nodded and waved his hands to signal that he was okay. ¡°Have you seen Mylorne Akkad? Is he up?¡±


    Cleo pointed with her chin towards a corridor. ¡°He went over there. Hurry and you might catch him.¡±


    Mumbling his thanks, Jack began walking towards there, while wondering just when he became so friendly with the three Supers who had kidnapped him. But that was better than being in an antagonistic relationship seeing that he was still inferior physically, so he was happier to maintain this trajectory of development.


    Musing the turn of events, as well as slightly buzzed out by the migraine, Jack failed to notice a shadow in front and ended up running face first at Mylorne Akkad.


    At that very moment, Akkad too had not noticed Jack. A deep crease had settled on his extremely handsome face, the kind one might sport after unwittingly stepping on a fresh pile of steaming dog poo.


    The expression itself was quite ugly, and quite frankly, Jack found it rather startling to see something so.... despotic, for a lack of better description, on the face of Mylorne Akkad. It was totally out of character.


    But whatever the reason for the frown had been, Akkad immediately eased it from his face right after Jack bumped into him. Too late, as that brief moment was enough for the boy to commit it to memory and shudder inwardly.


    Hasty apologies were exchanged quickly. Then Mylorne noted the silent news broadcast on the TV and addressed the teens lounging around in the living area. His expression was solemn like a doctor delivering a bad news to the waiting families of a patient going through a life-saving operation.


    ¡°Everyone, I''ve some news regarding on what had happened in New York. I was originally planning to introduce this topic at a later date but it seems the sisters of fate won''t allow me the luxury. Follow me, we''ll have light breakfast while we talk.¡±


    ~


    For something described as light, the breakfast itself was quite diverse in its offering. Never mind the staples like cereal and milk, salads topped with a vast array of condiments and with cold cheeses, hams and creams abound, and the assortment of bread ¨C Jack, nor the trio of teenage Supers, had never even heard of some of the variety on offer.


    Even the usually silent Lei couldn''t help but launch a whispered retort. ¡°This is supposed to be light?!¡±


    Only Cleo showed no hesitation in digging in, although she made sure to only pick the ham and cheese from the salads. The rest reluctantly dug in after seeing that.


    Still carrying a solemn expression, Mylorne Akkad opened his mouth. He hadn''t touched his share of food yet.


    ¡°Late yesterday afternoon, an attack of an unprecedented level occurred at the JFK airport that claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people. It''s being billed as the biggest attack of its kind against civilians, post 9/11.


    ¡°There is little doubt that this was the work of a Super, so the investigation has inevitably leaned towards that way. From my sources, I have heard that the approved operatives of The Project Dead Kings will be deployed for the very first time in order to find and apprehend the suspect, who is still at large.¡±


    Erik stopped chewing and glanced at his companions, showing a slightly tense frown. Lei was eating silently but she was still listening. It was difficult to tell what she was thinking of at that precise moment, however. As for Cleo, she was munching away, nodding her head absentmindedly.


    ¡°But I believe it''s more than just a simple matter of a rogue Super causing the massacre. No, I fear it''s something far, far worse.


    ¡°Last night, do you all remember the part of the tale where Professor Evans found a text within the tomb of Gilgamesh that talked about the Lord of Darkness?If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Allow me to expand upon that.¡±


    Mylorne Akkad clapped his hands lightly and the curtains drew close, darkening the dining room. Then a 3D holographic projection appeared above the large dining table, suspended in the air. At first, it was a blur of green dots and broken lines, but soon, a solid image of a stone wall took shape. Countless ornate symbols could be seen on the surface.


    ¡°This is a section in the God-King Gilgamesh''s tomb, laser-scanned for a perfect replication. It''s something not even the current U.S military and the overseers of the Project Dead Kings possess. In this particular section, the tale talks about a creature, a man or woman, if it comes down to that, who are tasked by the Heavenly Beings, the gods to you and me, to carry out their wills in this mortal world.


    ¡°This person then shall be known as the bringer of the everlasting Dusk, the Lord of the Darkness. The bringer of the world''s destruction, as it were.


    ¡°I talked about the big picture as the motivation for the beginning of The Project Dead Kings. This is that big picture. Professor Evans saw in his visions the world where the Lord of Darkness had descended upon the ancient world, causing the widespread scale of death and destruction. The project''s true end goal has always been to create soldiers to fight this Lord of Darkness.¡±


    ¡°In the end, though, that''s still an overpowered Super we are talking about, right? Regardless of what that lord of darkness is, nothing much has changed for us.¡±


    Erik replied, the expression on his face remaining the same.


    Mylorne nodded. ¡°Yes, in the end, it may seem the business as usual ¨C an unchecked Super killing the innocent civilians solely for the purpose of sowing chaos. Any other Supers can handle such a criminal. But at the same time, you should note that this supposed Lord of Darkness possesses powerful abilities to achieve that goal of the world''s end. I assure you, this threat is as real as your beating hearts.


    ¡°Within you, flows the blood of the ancient kings and heroes. They fought to protect the powerless from the Lords of Darkness and their desire to sow chaos. And now, although unfairly, you are tasked with the similar purpose.


    ¡°Thus, you all are at a crossroad. As per the agreement, I will provide, to the best of my abilities, means for you to find a new life if you so choose. But if you also feel that there was a meaning in the reasons of your existence, then you can also choose to partake in the original goal of the project, to protect the civilians caught in the nefarious plans of the villainous Lord of Darkness.


    ¡°No one can make these decisions for you. You have to make them yourselves. As for how the future will unfold.... I won''t pretend to know all the answers.


    ¡°Now normally, you should take your time to make this most important decision. But because of the yesterday''s event, the circumstances have drastically changed for the worse. You need to make the choice as soon as possible. Because, I fear, my presence is required there right away. It''s unknown how long I must stay there.


    ¡°Also.... there is something else that needs to be mentioned. The method of attack may not be clear, but judging by the aftermath, I came to the conclusion that the wielder of this power has a background not too dissimilar to you all.¡±


    Erik put on a confused face. Lei seemed the same, although she had stopped eating. As Cleo, she had finished her portion already, reaching out for the second helping.


    Jack had long since put down his fork. He was too busy contemplating his future. Honestly, he was only half listening for now, although he had a faint feeling that the person shown in the grainy footage, the one who could reduce people into a pile of sand was a very bad news. But that guy and this Lord of Darkness or whatever was beyond the scope of his abilities. They didn''t even feature in his thought process.


    No, he had to think carefully about what he needed to do, and what he wanted to do.


    Last night, Mylorne Akkad pledged his support. He would financially aid Jack. Why? In order to revive the glory of Gilgamesh and for the survival of the human race.


    Jack didn''t like the idea of him shouldering the weight of the entire world. He certainly was not interested in doing that. He just wanted to get his revenge and then...


    And then, what? What should he do after achieving his goal?


    ¡°What are you saying? Are there other countries making Supers like the U.S military? And it''s one of those Supers that came here to cause a havoc?¡±


    Erik asked, sounding rather unconvinced.


    ¡°This nation has made enemies due to either the ill-conceived foreign policies of the past and present, the economic might that can only come from suppressing the vulnerable smaller nations through unfair trade deals, or even, the desires of those oppressed sovereignties to overcome the superior military might backing this nation''s feckless leaders. You can pick your poison from that pool.


    ¡°Either way, there are enough of well-financed entities that could, potentially, fund a devastating war of Supers taking place on our doorstep that would lend most of the known weaponry useless.


    ¡°Of course, I have no definite proof to back up this assumption. But the ability displayed by the culprit belonged to a certain ancient Super. It''d be difficult to fully explain the overlap of the power so easily. Unless he was someone artificially augmented to become a Super. Just like you. And this man, this terrorist, is out to harm even more lives. Make no mistake about it. He plans to shed more blood.


    ¡°Unfortunately, the authority figures have chosen to lock down the five great Boroughs of New York City, all in the hopes of cornering the culprit within what they believe is a smaller search area. But wouldn''t that only give the bad guy, the new Lord of Darkness, more targets? The defenseless civilians who are caught in the crossfire?¡±


    ¡°Okay, that''s terrible news but,¡± Erik interjected abruptly. ¡°But, what does that got to do with us? We''re simply like any other Supers. No, we were forced to become one. We are also victims here. There is absolutely no obligation for us to go out there and deal with this Lord of Darkness.¡±


    There was a slight pause. It was an uncomfortable silence, filling the tense, unbridgeable gap. Mylorne shrugged his shoulders slightly.


    ¡°That is why I asked you to make the choice. Whether you go there and save the day or not, or choose to live a civilian''s life, that is up to you.¡±


    Erik grabbed his fork and began shoving the food in his mouth. ¡°Well, it''s not a tough one for me. I know what I want, and it''s got nothing to do with the project or the military.¡±


    Jack took a glance at Erik. Behind the glasses, he looked sullen but determined.


    Jack envied that, the strong will of Erik. He wished he had that, too. A drive to single-mindedly stick to the one goal he had set for himself, regardless of the distractions and obstacles, unlike Jack who couldn''t even keep his eye on the prize.


    Inwardly, Jack sighed. Erik seemed to display more of a king-like personality trait than him. Maybe Mylorne Akkad mixed it up and it was Erik who was the clone of the God-King instead of him.


    Jack then glanced at Lei. She didn''t give anything away with her impassive face. He hadn''t been with her for long, so trying to read her emotions was impossible.


    But Cleo was different. Somehow, something tumbling around in her brain suddenly struck her lightbulb switch.


    ¡°But hey, I''ve my family living in Queens. Isn''t that in New York? It is, right?! Doesn''t that mean my parents are in danger?! From this Lord of Darkness of whatever?!¡±


    She suddenly stood up with a bang, sending her chair flying back. It was so sudden, everyone flinched except for Mylorne Akkad.


    ¡°I gotta go there, like right now!!¡±


    Cleo shouted passionately before turning around. She was heading to the exit, thinking that she''d get there in a jiffy.


    ¡°No, wait a minute, Cleo!! What will you going over there achieve? You are just a kid with a bit of power. You go there, you''ll only get in the way and get caught!!¡±


    Erik got up from his own seat and went after her, trying to calm his companion down.


    ¡°That''s not true, you know?! Didn''t Mister Akkad say it? That other guys from the Project will be there? Then our friends will be there too, you know? I can ask for their help!! It''ll work out fine, right?¡±


    ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± Erik wearily massaged his head. ¡°No, don''t answer that. Okay, listen to me, Cleo. Why did we come here in the first place, selling out secrets of the Project in the process? We did it so we can get away from them. Yet you want to hand yourself right back? That doesn''t make sense!! Just.... stay behind, and let the others take care of it. We are not needed there, like, at all.¡±


    ¡°But, but!! It''s my family, you know?! My family is there. Not yours. That reason alone is good enough for me to go there!! As long as that psycho is running loose in the city, then I''m going!!¡±


    Erik was rendered speechless. It wasn''t like he failed to understand Cleo''s reasoning but he also knew that going to New York at this time was like deliberately walking into a trap-filled lion''s den wearing a robe made out of sausages and mustard.


    ¡°Hold on, you two. I''ve received new info. Looks like my computer has improved the footage from the airport. Take a seat and have a look.¡±


    Mylorne Akkad interrupted the heated exchange of the two and calmly implored them.


    A new image replaced the holographic image of the stone wall and its writings. It was a grainy footage of an airport''s interior. Jack recognized it immediately as the same one shown on TV, but this time the quality was somewhat better, allowing the viewers a cleaner look at what was happening. And it showed a queue of people standing around to clear the customs.


    ¡°The computer has been working on cleaning up the image quality and this is the resulting restoration of the damaged security footage from the airport. Let us see if there is something new to consider.¡±


    Jack paid close attention to the projection.


    In it, the crowd of people slowly advanced and did their things. Eventually, a scene of an African American female officer drawing her sidearm occurred. She was pointing at a man with a black hair and an average build right after the scanning of his luggage was completed. There was no sound accompanying the video so it was impossible to tell what was going on precisely, but all those present and watching could make one or two educated guesses.


    But then, the female officer began to spasm as if she was having a seizure shortly before collapsing on the floor. She stopped moving then. This was right after she touched the suspicious man. Other people around him began to collapse as well for no apparent reason. Then the crowd was seen running away in panic.


    The man then touched one of the items exposed from the bag and that was when a strange ripple rumbled past the image. The ripple seemed so real, especially seeing that it was a three-dimensional projection.


    Those running away were hit by this ripple and collapsed one after the other. It was like watching domino pieces falling, and was without a doubt, quite unsettling as well.


    But the next thing made everyone, even Mylorne Akkad, gasp out in shock.


    A few seconds later, people that fell on the floor began to wither. Literally, as if their bodies were rapidly losing any and all liquid in them. The rate of this horrendous withering could be seen by the naked eye, meaning it was incredibly fast, like someone pressing a fast forward on a video playback.


    Even some of the walls and inanimate objects hit by this ripple began to wither up too. Soon, the only things left behind were sand, with a few exceptions of artificial fabrics and some stone objects remaining still.


    ¡°Holy sh*t,¡± Erik swore under his breath, then turned to Cleo with a pair of bloodshot eyes. ¡°See that? Can you do anything against something like that?! Huh? I sure know I can''t. So should you, Cleo. You can''t go to New York, if you wanna live!!¡±


    Erik was quite livid, both at this absurd situation and at the incredibly crappy timing. He felt like the last couple of days were lies designed to make him feel utterly mad. And whoever did it, that guy sure did a bang-up job. But more importantly, though ¨C he felt terrified. Deeply, deeply terrified.


    Nominally, he was the leader of this trio, this group of runaways. It was his responsibility to keep them together and continue moving forward, together. Yet....


    He always knew there would be a crossroad waiting. For him and for his friends. And he also knew that not everyone would agree with his choice.


    Knowing that, he still accepted the invitation Mylorne Akkad had made covertly. Erik wanted to get the hell away from the Fort McGinley. He wished to be free of the chains binding him to that place. He wished to be free as the birds soaring in the sky, as cliched as that sounded.


    For that purpose, he even roped in Lei Ming and Cleo Costanza, thinking that their abilities would be a perfect fit to his escape plan. And he was right. They not only agreed to escape together, but they were more than useful in the attempt to get away. He had every right to feel pretty good about himself up until then.


    But actually, Erik didn''t choose Lei and Cleo solely because of their abilities but because they were his friends. The life at the Fort was harsh, filled with tough and hellish, unforgiving training every single day. He and the others were treated as tools and weapons of combat, sometimes even prodded with measuring equipment like some kind of test subjects.


    And yes, not a single day went by without Erik recalling the moment when they came to abduct him from his home when he was barely eight years old.


    The funny thing was, he could no longer remember the faces of his family. His mom, his dad, his older brothers ¨C their faces were all a blur, their smiles nothing more than dark, upside-down half moons plastered on a set of melting visages.


    Hell, Erik couldn''t even remember the name of the street he used to live on.


    And that terrified him; Erik had somehow lost an important part of himself. He understood that it was his power that was the cause of all this. If he was forced to use it again and again, like how the instructors at the Fort was forcing him to, then soon or later nothing of things that made him Erik would be left behind. He had to escape. Or he''d cease to exist.


    So, he thought that after bringing his friends with him, he''d still be with them. It wouldn''t matter whether he could remember his family or not, as long as he had Lei and Cleo around. He wouldn''t forget them. No way in hell.


    But now.... Cleo was clamoring to go on her own way, knowing that it was very dangerous, that very likely she''d get captured. And away from him.


    Erik wasn''t going to let her go like this, not at all.


    ¡°I''ll zoom in on the bag. Let''s see what''s inside it, what made that customs officer react like that.¡±


    Akkad clapped his hands again and the image rewound back to the moment before the female customs officer pulled out her gun. Then the viewpoint closed in on the gym bag past the scanner.


    Jack was unsure of what was on the hologram. It was round, golden in color. Also, there seemed like a slab of something as well. It wasn''t exactly what he expected to see emerge from a bag. Gradually, the image quality improved as a layer upon layer of color and pixels were overlayed on top of each other.


    ¡°It''s an image processing software that one of my subsidiary company had recently developed. It''s not on the market yet but the end result should speak for itself.¡±


    Akkad proudly explained the logic behind the software but quite frankly, no one beside Lei could really understand it, nor were they terribly interested in it. Regardless, after about three dozen layering, the image quality was such that one could discern what was inside the bag.


    ¡°A golden skull and a stone tablet?¡±


    Cleo muttered, confused. Lei frowned, also not getting it. As for Erik, he was not paying attention. He was far too deep in his own thoughts to notice.


    And then, there was Jack. The sense of incongruity was incredibly strong, so much so that he was suffering from a dizzying headache; he even felt like blacking out at one point.


    He was under this intense flashback to one of the hidden memories of the past. He was there, before that ripple, and received the brunt of the attack. The recollection nauseated him greatly.


    Right away, Jack felt the intense disgust and hate rise in the pit of his stomach. An incredible urge to reach out and crush that golden skull right away nearly overwhelmed him.


    But why? Why am I reacting like this?!


    Jack had only ever felt anger and disgust like this against the two Supers that caused all his classmates to die.


    But the longer his eyes remained on that golden skull, the stronger his fury grew by several notches.


    Jack was sure that he had never seen the skull before. Besides, it was just an object, a thing with no emotion, no life. It was simply nuts to feel this negative towards an inanimate object like this.


    ¡°That.... Could it be....?¡± Mylorne Akkad muttered, his face pale as a sheet. ¡°The skull of the Ensi of Bad-tibira, the conqueror of the ancient kingdom of Eridug, slaughterer of billion lives and the Tyrant of the Eight Continents, En-men-lu-ana the Mad King?!¡±


    Jack''s vision shook. The strange and ancient name caused the most severe flashback that was as strong as the ones he encountered during his sleep.


    A vision of a young face floated in his mind, a face of endless arrogance and contempt, a face belonging to the Enemy of The World.


    Jack shuddered, he himself now standing up. His fists clenched tightly, his breaths quickening. His mouth ran dry but still, his shrill, urgent voice found its way out to the open and startle everyone else.


    ¡°That guy.... he''s going to kill everyone in New York!! We need to stop him at all cost!!¡±


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)


    (Next update will be either on Monday or Tuesday. My bad, I can''t be specific about the time line.)

 Red Souls Chapter 15: The Conceit

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 15: The Conceit</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    ¡°Are you 100% sure that Jack is in there?¡±


    Min-jung''s voice was strained slightly as she asked Taylor sitting next to her in the SUV.


    The two of them peered over the electrified fence and at the tall white tower that stretched its way into the heavens. The view as seen past the car''s windshield was passable. The car itself was parked off the slightly beaten path and on a grassland surrounded by thick enough vegetation which, coincidentally, hid the bulky body of Min-jung''s vehicle. At least that''s what she hoped for, anyways.


    Taylor stiffly nodded, her eyes were bloodshot and the complexion rather pale, having exerted a lot of effort in using her powers just now. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath while leaning back on her seat.


    ¡°Yeah, I''m pretty sure Jack''s inside. It''s hard to sense his life signature because of the distance and the weird material of the tower but he''s definitely in there. I felt him.¡±


    Taylor replied slowly before opening her eyes. There was a spark of determination burning in her eyes, the fire lit from the desire to keep the promise she made the day before.


    She had to focus her powers to the utmost narrowest possible range in order to increase the detection distance and was able to barely grasp Jack''s unique life signature within the tower, despite the obstructions in her way. As feared, the deed took a lot out of her. It was at times like these she really hated the limitations imposed on her powers. If she was just a bit stronger, then she''d be more of a help... But she got the result, so on that point alone, she was feeling good about it.


    Min-jung looked on at the tower''s imposing figure, her expression remaining gravely cold. Her worst fears were now confirmed ¨C her son was indeed in the grips of the crazed man. No, that wasn''t quite correct; Mylorne Akkad was not crazed but obsessed, instead.


    Obsessed over the legends of Gilgamesh, obsessed over the resurrection of the Lord of Darkness, obsessed over the matters of her son''s growth and perhaps, obsessed over the matters of fatality and immortality. Compared to all of those obsessions, his desire to make money seemed like a hobby practiced every now and then so he could have something to stave off the encroaching boredom between his more intense undertakings.


    However, things had taken a turn, rather dramatically, for the worse. Mylorne Akkad somehow had conspired his way into attaining the very thing, her son, that he was so obsessed over. Who could possibly tell what he''d do now, with almost all the chess pieces gathered in front of him?


    But one thing was sure; Min-jung had no doubt what needed to be done. The final confirmation this young Super provided was enough.


    She had to move right now and save her child from the madness of Mylorne Akkad, before Jack was irreversibly affected by the silky, sophisticated but still potent poison. For that purpose, she even brought along the handgun for it.


    She bought this gun secretly, meaning illegally, unbeknownst even to her husband. No one knew that she obtained it. Normally, Min-jung kept it pretty well hidden but it would definitely see some action today.


    Fortunately, she paid a visit to a firing range to practice wielding a firearm not too long ago. She had a handle on how to use the gun, more or less.


    Back then, Min-jung was afraid that the day she needed to pull the trigger was almost upon her. Well, that day arrived with a bang.


    Gripping the steering wheel tightly, she walked through the steps she''d have to go through to face Mylorne Akkad. It wouldn''t be easy as the billionaire must have built a series of thorough and tough security measures. But she was prepared to do just about anything to get her son back safe and sound, and nothing was going to stand in her way.


    ¡°So, what now, Mrs. Mercer?¡±


    Taylor asked softly.


    Min-jung snapped out of her grim thoughts and turned to look at the teen. Then she realized there was a problem here. And that problem was Taylor. Or, more correctly, her presence here, with her, right this moment.


    Min-jung was unwilling to have the teen girl become an accessory if something untoward happened between Akkad and her gun. It was because she couldn''t guarantee the two of them finding a peaceful resolution to their strong disagreement.


    It was Taylor who offered her services voluntarily. She wanted to locate and rescue Jack as much as she did. But that didn''t mean Min-jung would let the girl cross a certain line that shouldn''t be crossed, no matter what. Also didn''t matter how willing she was, either.


    But what options did Min-jung have, right now?


    Take Taylor back home, and waste more time that way when she didn''t have much, to begin with?


    Well, things wouldn''t have been delayed like this, if she wasn''t trapped in that godawful underground military base for hours and hours in the end. What an ordeal that proved to be, what with everyone inside that base running around absolutely everywhere like a flock of headless chickens, further adding to the high level of uncertainty and confusion there already were mired in.


    And since it was a high-alert situation, not one single personnel could take the time to refresh themselves. Meaning, there were a lot of sweaty, smelly bodies trapped in a relatively confined space, Min-jung included. On top of that, the outside air could not be circulated freely, due to the fear of infiltration by the trio of escaped Supers by the opened air ducts so, the terrible, smelly air could only become fouler as the hours ticked on.


    Things became incomparably tenser still when the news of the trio attacking and then abducting a civilian reached the command center set up within the underground base. General Williams ordered for the doubling of the security measures, thinking that an attack was imminent ¨C only for the things to go quiet. Not a peep from the three escaped Supers, not a trace of where they had gone off to. They had vanished into the thin air.


    And then, the belated arrival of the news regarding the horrible massacre at the JFK airport made things much more complicated, timing-wise. The talks of deploying the combat-ready Dead Kings operatives went back and forth between Washington and the command center until finally, the green light was given.


    Meanwhile, the common sense prevailed and all the nonessential personnel was finally allowed to leave. This was only after the threat of three escaped Supers attacking the underground base subsided a great deal. Of course, Min-jung vociferously campaigned for it, arguing that she and the others like her would be no good in a fight anyway.


    So, she got the okay to go home, provided that she stay in touch in case of an emergency, according to Major Podolsky''s stern words.


    Min-jung thought Major''s gazes were rather sharp, making her think that she was under an intense scrutiny for her strange nervousness. Nothing went by unnoticed in Major''s observation, it seemed.


    Min-jung did her best to hide her frenetic mind after receiving the call from her daughter, Dana, of Jack''s abduction but something must have shown on the surface. The suspicions in Major''s eyes were barely masked, but since Min-jung brushed off the questions to her state of mind with a resolute ¡°I''m fine,¡± no one chose to pursue the matter anymore, what with bigger matters that needed more urgent attention and all.


    Even now, sitting here in the car, Min-jung couldn''t quite understand how General Williams nor Major Podolsky failed to learn that her son was the victim of the kidnapping. If they found out, then the consequences would have been catastrophic.


    So how did this crucial information fall through the cracks, seemingly lost in transit from one agency to the next one? Maybe Mylorne Akkad had something to do with it, but she had no proof. She could only suspect him.


    Whatever, General Williams nor Major Podolsky, not even Professor Evans or the rest of the team, must never become aware of what Jack was. What Min-jung did was enough to get her thrown in a jail for a long time, never mind her son''s own life becoming a total wreck.


    She would never allow that. Not in this lifetime.


    After leaving the base, things moved pretty quickly. Min-jung made her way home, mentally and physically exhausted, welcomed by the worried faces of Bob and Dana. Of course, there was no time to relax.


    Bob was adamant that he was going with her to find Jack but then, the question of who''d look after Dana in the meantime arose. A short discussion, a heated one at that, ensued between the two, and Min-jung won the debate in the end. Bob had to stay and wait for the news.


    With that solved, Min-jung then made a quick inquiry and found most of what she needed to know; that her son and a girl from the same school went for a biking trip to the nearby park, only to run into a convenience store robbery on their way back.


    The store clerk got shot, but otherwise, the children were fine. A Super named Alpha Man was called to the scene, and after Jack and his friend''s statements were taken, the two were heading home with the friend''s father driving them.


    Then, the three Supers appeared, assaulted them, and the end result was that Jack willingly went with them in order to stop the rampage. In other words, the three of them came specifically to find her son.


    If that didn''t smell of conspiracy cooked up by Mylorne Akkad, then she didn''t know what it was.


    All these information, courtesy of Taylor Finn. The teen willingly spilled everything out. And it was massively helpful in deducting the current situation more clearly.


    Taylor''s testimonial was also greatly helpful in deducing the reason for the kidnapping ¨C her son had manifested his abilities. Taylor described, to the best of her vocabulary but frankly, it was simply beyond Min-jung''s expectations.


    An ability to endlessly grow, as long as there was a steady supply of this so-called red soul which no one could see but him? If true, then it was totally understandable why Akkad would be interested in such a power. Min-jung could see the value in researching the genetics of such a Super, and perhaps even find out what those red souls were supposed to be, going so far as to figure out a way to commercialize them. It''d be an incredible way to make money. No, it''d be akin to acquiring a license to print money.


    No wonder the man was so damn obsessed with all this Gilgamesh related topics. He must have found something, a clue, regarding the powers of the ancient God-King somewhere. Otherwise, why would he tempt Min-jung all those years ago and end up investing millions upon millions to helping her conceive a child?


    Remembering those days, she felt her heart ache deeply. She had made a mistake in relying on Mylorne Akkad. She was sure of that. Too late for regrets now, though.


    ¡°Look, Taylor. Thank you for all your help, but from here on, I must to this alone. I want you to stay in the car and if something bad happens, you must run away. Okay?¡±


    Min-jung spoke to Taylor in no uncertain tone. She was already starting the car, to steer it towards one of the gates here.


    ¡°That''s not going to work, Mrs. Mercer. I mean, where could I possibly run off to, in the first place? I can''t drive, you know. And look how hugely wide this compound is!!


    ¡°Plus, I''ve come this far. I need to see the whole thing to the end. I made a promise with Jack. I plan to keep it.¡±


    ¡°That won''t do,¡± Min-jung shook her head. ¡°I''ve already asked you to do too much. This is getting a lot more dangerous than you think it is. Mylorne Akkad is an unpredictable and very dangerous man. It''s best that he never becomes aware of you and your powers, Taylor. Trust me, he''s a bad person.¡±


    ¡°But it''s too late to turn around now, isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°True, but still, there is no need for you to get involved any deeper than already is. Oh, right. Get in the back seat and hide down there in the footwell before we get to the entrance. There should be cameras recording the faces of all who visit this place. You should avoid getting captured if you can help it.¡±


    Taylor groaned softly but didn''t voice out her current feelings. Min-jung stopped the car so the girl could get out of the front passenger seat, then climb into the back and crawl into the rear footwell, thereby remaining hidden from the CCTV cameras'' point of view.


    But that was all for naught ¨C because as soon as Taylor climbed out of the car, she suddenly raised her head towards the skies above the white tower and shouted angrily.


    ¡°Oh, really now? What the hell?!¡±


    Following that outcry, Min-jung was drawn to the source of the girl''s ire. And she saw a futuristic white aircraft with an unusual design lifting off vertically from the roof of the tower. Even at a distance, she recognized the craft, thanks to its unique, eye-catching shape.


    It belonged to Mylorne Akkad, his private mode of transport and designed by his own hands to be the most advanced, awe-inspiring and memorable as possible. It certainly achieved this brief quite easily.


    Min-jung had this inexplicable feeling that she was being conceited until now, especially after witnessing that craft fly away from the tower. She hurriedly asked Taylor, hoping against her surging tide of trepidation.


    ¡°What was that about, Taylor? Who was in that aircraft?¡±


    Taylor made a grim face before sighing with a sagging shoulder.


    ¡°I sensed Jack riding in that thing. He''s gone now. We''re too late.¡±


    ~


    Jack was staring outside the reinforced glass of the aircraft but failed to notice his mother''s car on the ground. He was sitting on the other side of the craft, after all. As for the other passengers ¨C Erik, Lei, and Cleo ¨C they were too tense to pay heed to what was out there observing them take off.


    Mylorne Akkad was in the pilot''s seat, commandeering the craft like this was an everyday thing for him, flying in the hot seat. No one sat shotgun, though.


    After Jack''s explosive burst in the dining room, their plans were quickly set in stone. The aircraft would take them to a nearby airfield where a separate plane would take Erik and his gang to New York.


    Meanwhile, Jack would head off to somewhere else, where he could, ostensibly. get stronger quickly. Then maybe, join up later before things get really bad.


    Jack found it funny in a not-funny way that neither Erik nor Lei asked aloud how anyone could get ¡°stronger¡± in such a short period of time. Might as well, since he didn''t know where to begin the explanation anyway. And besides, Mylorne Akkad withheld the method of that quick power up even to him, other than a passing remark that the process might get dangerous, so Jack was in the dark just as much as the others were.


    There was only one way to make Jack stronger, though, and Akkad did promise to aid him the night before, so Jack had to sit tight and do as told, for now.


    But it was still hard to figure out how he got roped into this.


    Sure, he did say that guy with the golden skull needed to be stopped, but he never said he''d be the one to do it. So how the hell did he get talked into becoming stronger, for the sake of stopping that augmented Super from abroad? He could recall the basic flow of the conversation but to point out the exact moment where he ended up volunteering his abilities, he was at a complete loss.


    The harder he thought about it, it became clear that Mylorne Akkad had steered the conversation towards that conclusion. Jack felt like he got suckered into doing something against his personality.


    Oh, well. Okay, let''s look at the positives. Being stronger is all good and stuff, since I still want to kill Falcon and Master Evil. Yeah, that is what I wanted from the beginning. But, uh....


    Jack was not a warrior; that much, he knew better than anyone. Didn''t matter what his origin was, as his upbringing taught him to think twice about hitting someone. His troubles at finishing off a coyote was a proof enough. And now, he was supposed to go up against a genocidal Super that could turn people into sandbags?


    Could he even win? Mylorne Akkad believed so, but was Jack conceited enough to believe that notion?The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    En-men-lu-ana was a fearsome monster, a detestable villain of the highest caliber. The recollected memories from his dreams were fragmented at best but as far as Jack knew, this En-men-lu-ana character would have no qualms about slaying an entire city full of innocent people if such an act took his fancy.


    And as usual, when it rained, it poured. So was the case with En-men-lu-ana, as he was an immortal just like Mylorne Akkad. No, he had surpassed being a mere immortal. Oh no.


    He had half-stepped into the path of the so-called divinity back in Gilgamesh''s era, having lived thousands of years before the founding of the city of Uruk, the God-King''s nation.


    The details were hazy, but Gilgamesh fought against En-men-lu-ana and barely won back in the day. Why did they fight? Jack had no idea, but the enmity between the two was as real and serious as it could possibly get.


    Instead of getting his ass killed in that battle, En-men-lu-ana was imprisoned deep within the depths of the earth by Gilgamesh. A perk of being an Immortal was apparently being as hard to kill as a cockroach, it seemed.


    Now, En-men-lu-ana''s vassal, carrying his actual golden skull, had shown up in the modern world, somehow. Exactly at the same time as Gilgamesh''s revival too. A coincidence, or something infinitely more sinister at play? And just what did En-men-lu-ana want in New York?


    No one had any answers, not even someone as well informed and experienced as Mylorne Akkad. Whatever turmoil the future held, at least Cleo knew what she wanted and she was resolutely heading towards it.


    And technically speaking, Jack was the only one alive who knew how to defeat En-men-lu-ana. The argument was that he had to be there. Unfortunately, even Akkad didn''t know how Gilgamesh defeated and imprisoned the Mad King ¡°underground.¡±


    But by getting stronger, the belief was that he''d be able to remember. A long shot, as long as they came, but Jack had no rebuttal.


    Before all that, Jack had to be stronger. Stronger than Cleo was, at any rate. A tall order, if there ever was. He wanted to ask just whose genes she was augmented with, but as she herself was unaware of her origins, it''d be a stretch to imagine getting a satisfactory answer from her.


    Strange, then, to avoid telling them that Jack was not the same as the trio of teens, something Erik, Cleo and Lei were probably believing in. A misunderstanding that would remain as so.


    Jack glanced at Cleo and her friends. Their glum faces were a bit hard to read, especially that of Erik. His frown was bitter and deep as if he was carrying the weight of the entire world''s guilt over his slender shoulders. But there was a resolute glint trapped in his eyes, as if he had made a resolute vow in secret.


    Lei was Lei, still gazing at the battered iPod, showing an intense concentration. Her fingers swiftly moved over the screen like an eagle pecking away at a dead prey.


    Cleo was chewing on her fingernails. She mumbled softly to no one in particular. ¡°Can''t we go faster?!¡±


    It was obvious she was chomping at the bits, wanting to get there even if it was a minute sooner. Jack thought it''d be useless to talk to her when she was like that.


    And seeing the intense frown on Erik''s face, it wasn''t a good idea to talk to him either. So Jack fixed his gaze on Lei and tapped on her shoulder.


    ¡°Hey, so, uh, what''ll you three do when you get there?¡±


    Lei shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I guess, we go and find Cleo''s family. I did a quick search, and they are still living in the same place, so that''s that. Then well, we''ll probably try to get the hell out of Dodge.¡±


    She then showed the screen of her iPod to Jack,


    ¡°Look, this is the map of New York, and the search area is superimposed on it. Here''s where Cleo''s parents are.¡±


    It was true; the screen that should only show a limited amount of color and pixels were showing a full, modern 3D map of New York from the bird''s eye view, and Jack could see clearly the green boundaries laid over it. There was a small red dot over the Queens, blinking softly. Jack tilted his head slightly, thinking that this iPod was not an ordinary item at all.


    She noticed the confusion on Jack''s face so she moved to clarify that.


    ¡°I''ve done some modification on it. It was getting old and busted, so...¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± said Jack. ¡°You could''ve gotten a new iPod or whatever, though. Wouldn''t it be simpler that way?¡±


    She shrugged her shoulders again.


    ¡°Well, I like this shape. Plus, it was a gift from my mom.¡±


    Jack suddenly got a feeling that he was stepping on a landmine. He needed to be tactful here or else, he''d be a KIA.


    ¡°Oh, that''s why. Okay, I understand. Hopefully, your parents aren''t in New York, though. It might get dicey later on, there.¡±


    Lei pursed her lips and took the iPod back.


    ¡°Nope. They all died ten years ago in a car crash.¡±


    Oh crap, now you''ve done it, Jack Mercer!! Jack cried out in his heart.


    Instead of expertly extricating himself out of a tricky situation, he got mired in even deeper. Now there was a thick, thick layer of impenetrable awkwardness permeating in the air.


    And to make matters worse, because the cabin of the craft was so quiet, others could hear the conversation in full, all in its ignominious glory. Cleo and Erik shot Jack very weird gazes, obviously admonishing him for his tactless faux pas.


    Unable to think of a way to salvage the mood, Jack sighed and kept his mouth shut for the remainder of the journey.


    About ten minutes later, the local airfield was finally in sight. Mylorne smoothly landed the craft on the designated spot next to a large hangar.


    ¡°We''re here, guys.¡±


    He told his passengers, prompting them to disembark via the side entrance. Out in front of the hangar, a man wearing a pilot''s uniform and a couple of flight attendants were waiting for them. Behind them, a gleaming Learjet with Mylorne Akkad''s company logo painted on the side.


    Mylorne quickly introduced his group to the other and urged them onwards as the time itself was in short supply.


    As the six of them climbed aboard the Learjet, Jack hesitated slightly before catching up to Lei, Erik, and Cleo. ¡°Hey, you be careful, alright? If it gets dangerous, just bale out, okay? And, uh, I''m sorry about earlier, Lei.¡±


    Cleo and Lei nodded together in appreciation but Erik snorted. ¡°Well, that goes without saying. Although, I''m surprised to find that we''ve become pretty close so quickly, Jack. Thanks for the worries.¡±


    With that, they left the airfield, heading for the city of New York. As for Jack and Mylorne, they got back on the futuristic craft and also took off towards their destination, the craft making a whooshing noise on take-off from its twin encased rotors on the sides.


    ¡°Now that we''re by ourselves, can you tell me just where we are headed off to?¡±


    Jack asked as he settled down on the co-pilot''s seat. The view out was extremely cool but he was in no mood to enjoy it.


    ¡°The Rockies. There is a certain artifact that you need to see and conquer. I''ve long secured the site where it''s been found but alas, couldn''t move the artifact to a more accessible location. The technology for such an undertaking has not caught up to where I''d like it to be, unfortunately.¡±


    ¡°Will that artifact make me stronger? Help me gather more of that red soul thingy?¡±


    ¡°Definitely, yes. But before we arrive, there is something else you need to start training on, first.¡±


    Jack frowned slightly, not understanding Akkad''s words.


    ¡°What is it that I need to start on first?¡±


    ¡°Gilgamesh once told me this ¨C that when he was young, he could only interact with red souls when he was within the Soul Sphere while asleep. Only through constant training and experimentation did he find a way to manipulate the souls without entering the Sphere. Tell me, Mister Mercer. Can you interact with the souls as you are, right now, without falling asleep?¡±


    Jack shook his head. This was something he was thinking about as well. ¡°No, I can''t. So that red place is called the Soul Sphere, huh. Didn''t even know that. Or should that be I couldn''t even remember that?¡±


    ¡°Well, whatever the case may be, you need to consciously control red souls without entering the Soul Sphere first. Making a tangible progress in that task should take the foremost priority for you.¡±


    Jack leaned back in his seat, contemplating. It''d be wonderful if he could ''improve'' his stats without going to sleep. But how? There was no clue in the fragmented memories. There was nothing in the records either ¨C not that Jack had time to thoroughly study them anyhow.


    ¡°How should I start doing that? Is there some kind of secret that I need to know? What am I missing?¡±


    Akkad put the autopilot on and stroked his chin in a contemplating manner.


    ¡°Hmm. Gilgamesh never explained the process to me ¨C we met when he was already a renowned warrior under the heavens, in full control of all his abilities. So the topic was never discussed in detail. But if I were allowed to make one conjecture, then perhaps you need to train your own soul, somehow. That could very well be the key.¡±


    ¡°How do I do that?!¡±


    Jack frowned. He didn''t quite get it. What was a soul, anyway? He was never a spiritually-minded person to begin with, nor was he really all that religious, so he had no idea. All he could think of was that a soul was something that turned into a vengeful ghost when a person died under suspicious circumstances, just like how it was in a horror movie. Obviously, that was not a great point of reference. His base of knowledge was too threadbare to be of any help.


    Then a lightbulb lit atop his head. Not literally, of course.


    Hey, wait a sec. Maybe... yeah, just maybe I could enhance my soul or whatever with the remaining red souls inside the Soul Sphere. That should work, right?


    And with my soul strengthened that way, then there won''t be a need to access the Sphere anymore. Yeah, that might work.


    Jack nodded as he decided on what to do next. Whether it would work or not, he had no idea, but nevertheless, it was worth a try. In order to access the Sphere, he had to go to sleep right now. Might as well, since there was still some time left before arriving at their destination somewhere in the state of Montana. The problem was that it was still early in the day, and he was not at all sleepy.


    Damn it, this isn''t going to work, is it?


    Jack groaned inwardly after trying to fall asleep for a few minutes in the co-pilot''s seat. Akkad noticed the boy''s troubles and asked.


    ¡°Is there a problem, Mister Mercer? You seem to have found yourself in a jam of sorts.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well. I''m kinda in a bind.¡±


    Jack then explained his situation and his idea. Akkad listened attentively and when Jack was done, he offered up an assistance.


    ¡°We should have suitable medication in the place we are going to. Let us try your method when we get there.¡±


    ~


    Meanwhile, somewhere in East New York....


    A Latin man in his early thirties wearing a pair of thin, stylish glasses and sitting in a black wheelchair was busy typing on a wireless keyboard, his eyes darting between half a dozen monitors mounted on a brick wall.


    Half of those monitors showed the maps of the five boroughs of the city, while the other half, things such as constant reports and updates made by the federal agents and Guild of Heroes members continued to flash by.


    The wheelchair-bound man''s inputs were shown on the middle screen. He was creating a new algorithm on the fly to find out more info on the new term he had come across just now.


    ¡°What is this Project Dead Kings....? What kind of secrets have you been keeping away from the world, Mister President, eh?¡±


    The room was shrouded in darkness, the only light source the screens and a lit desktop lamp above a simple notepad. The windows were boarded up, keeping out the prying eyes and the warmth of early morning sunlight.


    He was so absorbed in his work that he had failed to notice a new presence silently slipping in through the shadows.


    It was the same masked man from the night before. He still had that indiscernible aura of darkness blanketing him, shielding him from the light, oozing danger from every pore, even without the dagger that Nico Gavalas had stolen earlier.


    ¡°Hey, Ramirez.¡±


    The masked vigilante called out softly.


    Startled, Ramirez the wheelchair-bound man nearly dropped his wireless keyboard on the floor.


    ¡°Jesus Christ on meth, didn''t I tell you never to do that?!¡±


    ¡°You were too deep into whatever you were doing. But my apologies.¡±


    The masked man replied humorlessly and walked in closer, his eyes surveying the screens showing the map of the city.


    ¡°What are you doing here at this time of the day, Abyss? You usually operate during the nighttime.¡±


    ¡°A special case. I ran into an unwelcome visitor during my interrogation and couldn''t prise out the information in the end. Can you help me with that? Also, that unwelcome guest took my dagger. I need to track him ASAP.¡±


    Ramirez fixed the position of the thin glass. ¡°Huh. Is that right? Sounds like something big has happened to you if you''re willing to rush like this. But I doubt it''s as big as what had happened in JFK, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I heard about that on my over here. I also hear a crowd has shown up to deal with the mess.¡± The masked vigilante, Abyss, chuckled without mirth.


    ¡°It''s a serious thing. No one has an accurate count but it seems like thousands of people died within minutes, so yeah, it''s a big deal, alright. But well, I guess the crowd will take care of it, right?¡±


    ¡°Right. They will take care of that. For now, focus on the girl first. I asked around, and Max was seen talking to an Albanian expat named Wilhelm Milosevic who deals in guns and drugs. Maybe there''s something, maybe not. It''s just a hunch, but check into the man''s records. He owns a shipping company if I remember correctly. I''m guessing that he owns a warehouse somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Ramirez clicked on the mouse and one of the screen changed, showing an almost-blank one. Here, he typed certain parameters to bring out private companies and corporations registered under IRS. It went without saying, this was hacking. And it was very much illegal in all 50 States.


    While that was being done, Abyss glanced over at other screens and caught the sight of the words ¡°Project Dead Kings.¡±


    ¡°What''s this?¡±


    Abyss pointed at the screen and asked.


    ¡°That? Oh, it''s just something I found interesting. One of the crowds coming over to the city is from the Department of Defense, under the project title of the Dead Kings. Never heard of them before, so I was trying to dig up some dirt on them.¡±


    ¡°And? Anything to worry about?¡±


    ¡°So far.... well, other than being a very well-funded project, not much. The clearance level required to access even the most basic data is pretty ridiculous, so I was in the middle of crafting a new baby of mine to sneak in but then you showed up.¡±


    Abyss shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.


    ¡°My bad. So, you know nothing?¡±


    ¡°Well, looks like they won''t be playing ball with other kids on the block. No other agencies seem to know they are coming, other than some real bigwigs. But you know what, those goody two shoes in the Guild of Heroes wouldn''t appreciate someone unrelated to their little choir group coming to rain on their parade so, might as well, right?


    ¡°Anyway, all I could find out from the chatter is that they are an elite force built up to deal with threats like the one from the JFK incident.¡±


    Abyss nodded, fast losing what little interest he had.


    His mind was far too occupied with the case of the girl as well as the fate of the dagger to give a crap about some military hard-asses prancing around. They do their thing, and leave him alone to do his, then he''d not get in their way. That was one of Abyss'' mottos.


    His priority, the obligation, was to find the girl first. He''d see the matter to the end before moving on to the mysterious Super who came to steal that accursed dagger.


    Ramirez continued on. ¡°You thinking of doing something about the perp responsible for JFK?¡±


    Abyss shook his head. ¡°No. I work in the dark, while matters like that need men in the light.¡±


    ¡°Well, didn''t hurt to ask. Oh, here. Milosevic''s indeed got himself a dozen warehouses or so. Here are the GPS coordinates. So, what do you wanna do? Check out all of them?¡±


    ¡°No, isolate the ones that are located in quiet neighborhoods with good access to sea, land and air traffic, taxes and fees all fully paid up with the feds, and the size of the warehouse around 25000 square feet.¡±


    Ramirez typed in the new search parameters and soon got a hit.


    ¡°There''s one. Hah, that narrows things down somewhat. Okay, let''s see. I got a video feed. Wanna take a look?¡±


    Abyss nodded and leaned in closer. ¡°Bring it up. Let''s check out the lay of the land.¡±


    The screen''s image changed from the list to a security camera footage showing an innocuous building near the docks. Judging by the view, the camera must have been located in an adjacent building.


    There was a little, if any, activity showing up on screen. But there were expensive cars parked out front, and one or two well-armed Eastern European men walking around, looking alert.


    ¡°What about the interior? Can you gain an access?¡± asked Abyss as he studied the building.


    ¡°No can do. Looks like no cameras. And the military satellites capable of peering through the ceiling are all being used by, well, the military, so I can''t even borrow one at the moment.¡± Ramirez sighed helplessly.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Abyss was unsatisfied, but he had no choice. He decided to go there and see if the girl was inside this warehouse. Again, he was operating only on his gut feelings, but they usually proved useful.


    He was about to ask for Ramirez''s help in finding the dagger-stealing Super next when his eyes caught something strange, and perhaps shocking, on the screen.


    ¡°Someone is coming,¡± said Ramirez as he also spotted it. A man was approaching the warehouse while frequently checking an item in his hand. This person didn''t seem like one of the thugs hired to guard the place, as he was lugging around a heavy-looking gym bag over his shoulder.


    Ramirez frowned as he thought that this guy looked kind of familiar. Abyss was thinking that the bastard he was looking for was right there, in front of him. Was this fate?


    ¡°Hey, Ramirez, this feed is in real time, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it is. But that guy.... I''ve seen him before..... No, wait a freaking minute. That guy can''t be.... right?¡±


    Abyss was taken back when he heard that. ¡°You know that man? How?¡±


    ¡°No, I don''t know him, per se, but I''ve seen him. From here. Check it out. Because you ain''t going to believe your eyes, dude.¡±


    One of the screens then blacked out for a second, before showing a grainy footage of an interior of a building. On a closer inspection, it was from an airport. More accurately, that of JFK, minutes before the massacre.


    The quality of the recording was not as precise as what Akkad had shown to his guests but it was pretty good nevertheless, affording a clear enough image of the man responsible for all that death.


    It was at this moment Abyss sucked in his breath and swore loudly.


    ¡°Son of a bi*ch.¡±


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)


    (Next chapter will be posted on either late Thursday or early Friday. Will do my best to make it on Thursday, but uh, well, we''ll see....)

 Red Souls Chapter 16: The Armor

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 16: The Armor</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    From the cockpit, the view of the looming Rocky Mountains looked utterly imposing and mysterious, totally befitting of the imagery as a place from a long-since forgotten dark fairy tale. Numerous tall white peaks, topped off by the never-melting snow and partially obscured by the gray clouds; framed by the backdrop of the clear blue sky, the mountain range stood majestically, waiting for the mortals to converge at its feet and offer worship.


    Jack had never come here, not even on a family holiday. Now that he could see the majesty of the mountain range up here in the air, he felt a tinge of regret for never even thinking of visiting this beautiful place.


    His senses, somewhat enhanced by the red souls, allowed him to pick up on several amazing visual cues, regardless of the distance. Jack thought that he could instinctively sense there were many hidden wonders waiting to be uncovered by the enterprising, adventurous minds within the deeper recesses of the mountains.


    Meanwhile, Mylorne Akkad was on the phone, making calls to his company''s outlet in New York. The futuristic aircraft was on autopilot and didn''t need his attention for now.


    The content of the call was not for the faint of the heart or for that matter, uneducated in the ways of the financial world. Jack certainly fit the bill for the latter. He didn''t want to eavesdrop, of course, but since he was sitting right next to Mylorne Akkad, he couldn''t help but overhear quite a few sensitive business-related discussions.


    What was bizarre, though, was the fact that there was someone at the office on a Sunday morning to answer the boss''s call in the first place.


    Anyways, Jack thought he was listening to things he had no right to, especially when the chat became slightly heated over the matter of firing close to ten thousand people worldwide in order to protect the interests of shareholders and stuff.


    The on-goings at New York was also heavily discussed by Mylorne Akkad and the other person at the end of the line. The stock markets there were closed for the weekend so the impact of the attack on the JFK couldn''t be fully assessed yet, but the two of them agreed to keep an eye out and not act too rashly just yet.


    During the call, Mylorne exhibited various facial expressions and temperaments, none of them staying any longer than absolutely necessary while he was speaking his mind, getting his messages across. It was like watching an accomplished stage actor switch out different glass masks to play a new role every five minutes. Jack thought that was quite spooky and unnerving but also remarkable to witness.


    Jack figured that one needed to become a ruthless chameleon and adapt very quickly to the changing circumstances in order to stay competitive in the world of multi-billion dollar deal-making. So, who the hell was he to criticize that? Surely, it must be just as tough going for the one doing it.


    ¡°My apologies, Mister Mercer. That must have been rather unpleasant to listen to.¡± Akkad smiled wryly after ending the call. ¡°Even with the threat of world''s end lurking right around the corner, it seems that there is still a need to tame the packs of opportunistic hyenas trying to take advantage of the slightest lapse in my judgment. It''s quite appalling at times if I do say so myself.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well. People gotta act like people, right?¡± replied Jack, trying to sound street-wise, or at least as if he was unaffected by it all. But he thought that his response was too lukewarm and unconvincing, and unable to fool the eyes of Mylorne Akkad.


    ¡°Quite,¡± Mylorne Akkad chuckled softly, shaking his head. ¡°We''ll arrive at our destination in about ten minutes or so. Please be ready to disembark at a moment''s notice.¡±


    Jack felt his jitters going up. Finally, the so-called trial was about to begin. How can he possibly not feel worked up? He tried to sleep in order to reinforce his soul so he could access the Soul Sphere thingy but ultimately failed. He thought that by listening to Mylorne Akkad drone on about the past, his past with Gilgamesh, that he''d become drowsy but no, that didn''t work either.


    But hey, Jack got to know a lot about Mylorne Akkad''s, or Utnapishtim''s relationship with Gilgamesh just a little better, how the God-King had lost himself in the pursuit of an everlasting life that he nearly lost all of what made him a human in the first place.


    Akkad was only too happy to oblige, speaking with a great relish now that there wasn''t anyone unrelated to their past among the crowd.


    All that reminiscing, and they hadn''t yet to arrive at their destination.


    Speaking of which....


    ¡°So, uh, you''re still not going to tell me just what this artifact is? How that thing will make me stronger?¡±


    Jack glanced at the ground visible through the cockpit window. Other than the undulating, mountainous scape, dark green forests and a wide, pristine river cutting through the land like a blue-gray snake, he couldn''t see a speck of civilization out there, not even a quaint little log cabin puffing out smoke from its chimney.


    Mylorne Akkad slowly scratched his chin, his eyes slightly nostalgic.


    ¡°About ten years ago, I employed a top-notch survey company for a purpose of finding precious ore deposits but instead of finding me gold, they ended up unearthing an archaeological site of a significant value.


    ¡°Now normally in the case like this, the proper authorities should have been notified of the discovery. But after I personally confirmed of what the site actually was, I moved immediately to purchase the entire area and had it sealed off.


    ¡°Three years ago, the technology has finally caught up to a level that allowed me to take a good peek into the secrets of this site, then I had set up a small enclave of researchers tasked to unlocking all the mysteries this site has to offer.¡±


    Jack nodded slightly before frowning when he thought about something that was seemingly too crazy to happen. ¡°Wait a sec. You are not going to tell me that this site has something to do with Gilgamesh and his legends, right? I mean, that would be.... uh, impossible?¡±


    Akkad checked the current coordinates displayed on one of the monitors directly in front of him and disengaged the autopilot. He grabbed the twin joystick-like controller bars and began to slowly lower the altitude of the craft.


    ¡°Well... not directly, no. At least, I do not believe so. This site has been carbon dated to be a good few dozen millenniums older than the ages of Gilgamesh. Also, he never mentioned such an object before.


    ¡°But since we have not exposed its secrets in full, I am assuming it might have ties to the gods of the antiquities. And please, do remember this, Mister Mercer. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, is impossible. Yes, there are improbabilities but never true impossibilities. Our very existences attest to that fact.¡±


    Jack couldn''t really disagree with that notion. Mylorne Akkad was right; his own being should have been ¡°impossible.¡±


    Being a clone of someone was one thing, but inheriting memories of the previous life was something else entirely. There was no way science could explain adequately for this phenomenon.


    Still, it was hard to imagine Gilgamesh, a figure who lived in the Middle East, somehow coming all the way to North America for god knows what purpose. Here and there were separated by thousands of miles of tempestuous oceans, and large land masses in between. How can a person from an ancient civilization even hope to cross that?


    Having said that, even thought the image was unclear and fragmented, he did see something that suspiciously resembled a flying fortress in one of his dreams, so....


    Nothing''s impossible, huh.....


    Jack mulled this line over and over. Sounded like a good advice to remember, although Jack found it a little hard to swallow as his modern sensibilities got in the way.


    ¡°We''re here,¡± said Akkad loudly as he clicked on some buttons before connecting to the ground control, asking for the permission to land.


    Jack took a deep breath, trying to settle his jitters, feeling rather glad that all this time, his accursed phobia had not acted up at all. Probably it only flared up when riding in a car or something, as he felt nothing while flying on this aircraft. It was kind of a blessing, really.


    What''s not a blessing was his indecisive and easily-flustered heart. It did him no good whatsoever to dither about, not knowing what the correct path was to take.


    He had been telling himself to man up and follow through with whatever he chose to do in the beginning. Jack thought wryly that the number of times he chided himself for wavering had gone past his ability to keep track of. But what could he do? 17 years of a certain way of thinking rigidly hammered home wouldn''t be erased that easily, no matter how determined he was. He needed more time. Yet that was precisely he was running short of.


    But maybe, he mused, that this very lack of time could be the catalyst for his growth. Forced into acting, forced into moving and fighting, forced into a position where he barely had any time to ponder ¨C maybe, that was the answer. Whether this line of thinking was right or not, only time would tell, ironically enough.


    Jack looked out of the cockpit and at the approaching landing area. It was a wide clearing in the middle of a dense forest with tall, straight trees right at the foot of a mountain. There were several temporary lodgings built like the foreman''s trailer offices commonly seen in construction sites with dozens and dozens of satellite dishes pointing towards various directions. Every one of the trailers here was painted in green camouflage to seamlessly blend in with the surroundings.


    Next to them, a huge tent, also in full camo. The tent was big enough to hold a circus or a carnival inside. There were people coming in and out of the entrance to the side.


    The landing pad was next to the biggest trailer, also covered in camo but as the craft approached, a handful of men quickly removed the netting and exposed it.


    Only after the craft touched down, noisily kicking up a whirlwind of dust and grass, did Jack realize there was a hangar situated right next to the pad. It was that well disguised, nearly impossible to discern from the air. The roof of the hangar was camouflaged but with the addition of mock vines and grass to add to the illusion. A spy drone or a stray Google Maps satellite would never be able to take a lucky image of this place, it seemed.


    The hangar was well stocked with several jeeps, a couple of helicopters and all-terrain vehicles, as well as crates of some stuff, parked neatly to the side. It was all so very professional.


    Akkad and Jack exited the craft in a hurry. A crowd was waiting for them on the side of the landing pad. Jack quickly scanned the group of men and women, trying his best not to form a wrong first impression of them and not to give one himself. It''d be best if he could delay that process until after he got to know the opposite side well enough. His goals were easier said than done, however.


    The group that came to receive Jack and Akkad was, more or less, comprised of what could be classified as the archetypal academics ¨C scruffy beards, messy hair, uncoordinated fashion sense, thick glasses, pale skin and slightly hunched shoulders from sitting in front of computers whole day long. There were always exceptions, of course, such as two men in front of this group who looked like proper soldiers, geared up in simple green uniform. Also, underarm holsters with pistols were a dead giveaway so there was that.


    Akkad greeted the team leader who happened to be a man wearing the thickest pair of glasses Jack had ever seen in his life. Also, the lumberjack-wannabe beard, too, as if that would make him a little more manly. Jack couldn''t help but roll his eyes. Inwardly, of course. Nothing good would come from offending the other party so early in the relationship.


    ¡°Doctor McLean. Apologies for the short notice. How far along are the preparations for the foray into the Crystal Chamber?¡±


    Akkad firmly shook the man''s hand and asked.


    ¡°Yes, sir. It''s not a problem. Instead, everyone here is really upbeat and excited for the day''s proceedings. Well, the overall system is fully up and ready as specified. No errors and inconsistencies, so far. Which is a rather swell news.¡±


    ¡°Good. Very good. Doctor, this is Jack Mercer. Mister Mercer, this is Doctor Norman McLean. He oversees this facility on my behalf. And he will also supervise today''s process.¡±


    Jack frowned slightly while shaking the hand of the bearded doctor. ¡°Uhm, how do you do? Nice to meet you, Doctor McLean. By the way, what process are we talking about here?¡±


    ¡°Since we are already pressed for time, let''s talk while we head inside,¡± said McLean as he ushered the group towards the big tent.


    The entrance was actually less of a door and more of a mobile quarantine facility. Those wanting to enter had to relinquish all metallic and personal items that could hide potential contaminants. After that, a pressurized chamber, where the ¡°clean¡± air was blasted into the bodies, getting rid of germs and the like.


    And finally, changing into a set of white Hazmat suits fitted with Geiger counters, LED lighting and shoulder mounted cameras as well as short-wave radios for communication with the others. Each of these rigorous processes was overseen by a stern-looking man who seemed to lack any sense of humor whatsoever.


    Jack felt like that after wearing the Hazmat suit he was walking into a disaster zone or something just as sinister and forbidden. Then it was their turn to enter the huge tent through an automatic metal door thick enough to repel an explosive shell fired by a tank, or at least according to the proud explanation from the good doctor McLean.


    The passage immediately past those impressive metal doors was also designed to keep out the outside elements. The lighting was harsh, the glare quite prominent even through the Hazmat suit''s visor.


    Further up inside the tent, the first thing Jack saw was the metal railings where observers could lean against or grab hold onto, in order to view what''s up ahead. On the ceilings, countless spotlights shining down on the object of all this meticulous attention.


    And that was a huge depression, an artificial crater, on the ground. Inside this hole, were nine slender stone pillars arranged in a circle, while nine thicker pillars arranged also in a circle surrounding the slender ones. The whole thing was almost a carbon copy of Stonehenge in England, except that they were a lot more intact, the stones were colored red, and were below the ground level.


    There were step ladders to enter this crater. The group descended down and Jack got closer to these strange stone pillars.


    An inexplicable chill ran his backside as he got near one of the outer stone pillars after realizing its utterly insane dimensions; it was humongous. Easily twice the height of the aforementioned monument in Britain, this outer stone pillar was richly decorated with carvings depicting wildlife. Birds of unidentifiable characteristics, bison-like bovine creatures, and wild, untamed horses running on the plains as well as primitive men chasing after them were the subjects of the artists'' focus.


    Without a doubt, they were quite striking to look at, seemingly enticing all those who gaze upon the pillars to come and unlock the hidden mystery of these monuments. Obviously, Mylorne''s researchers agreed, since plenty of scientific measuring equipment were placed on and around every pillar here. Most of them, Jack had no idea what they were supposed to do, even. And his mother was a scientist, for crying out loud.


    But they weren''t the most important objects inside the tent. A man-made hole located left of the circle of outer pillars was. It led down under the ground. And boy, it was pretty substantial. But compared to the sheer size of the two stone encirclements, the hole looked tiny, like a preschooler standing next to a pro NBA player.


    As Jack was led towards this hole, he belatedly noticed that there was one more pillar smack dab in the center of the encirclement. This lone pillar was unbelievably short, though. All in the context, of course. But seeing that it didn''t seem to reach the height of a grown man, it did seem a bit out of place here.Stolen story; please report.


    A big crane and an electric motor operated the elevator, the only way to go in and out of the hole. McLean stepped into the elevator and motioned the others to follow him. With a creak and a noisy whirr, they descended.


    Every few meters, strong fluorescent lights illuminated the darkness and Jack could peer down the edge of the lift to see just how deep this hole went. And it was seriously deep.


    The bottom of the hole led to a large natural cavern. The area around the elevator was fashioned into a hub for the researchers. Temporary tents and laboratories were set up here and there where stalagmites weren''t as prominent a geological feature. The electric buggies and large spotlights and people wearing Hazmat suits were everywhere, busy milling about and doing their things.


    Jack could feel the temperature in the air which was slightly warmer than that of the surface. Which made things pretty toasty, seeing that it was still in the middle of a Summer where record temperatures were being broken every single day. He remembered reading somewhere that the deeper a person went into the earth''s crust, the warmer it got. Until now he dismissed that as a science fiction fantasy, but hell, here was the proof that his thoughts were an ass.


    Past the hub, there were three passageways to the right, left and in the middle. Thick electrical cables lined the floors and the walls; there was a low hum coming from one of the tents, with a number of servers inside. In another, Jack caught a glimpse of metallic crates that might contain weapons at a first glance. The markings on the side said ¡°Property of Akkad Industries, Inc. Do Not Touch.¡±


    McLean hurriedly introduced some other important people to Jack and Akkad before they climbed aboard an electric buggy. McLean did the driving duty himself and led the expanded group down the middle passageway, the biggest of the three. It was a pretty slow going, however. Jack had no idea the thing could be this slow.


    The middle passage was lit brightest among the three, with lots of lamps illuminating the walls and the undulating ceiling. All that light played with the numerous stalactites and stalagmites, creating an eerie shadow puppet show on the walls.


    It was on these said walls that Jack noticed the details on them, thanks to the snail-like pace of the buggy.


    ¡°Wow, are these genuine cave paintings?¡±


    Jack pointed at the fading murals on the walls, his eyes wide open. But he did feel a bit stupid for asking this question right afterwards.


    ¡°Yes, of course they are. And we estimate each and every one of them are at least forty thousand years old or more, so please, refrain from touching them carelessly.¡±


    McLean''s expression was apologetic when he said that, but Jack was sure the man was feeling anything but that. Not that he was going to touch these drawings, though.


    The subjects of the drawings were not too different from the pillars outside the hole. Freely roaming animals, primitive men chasing after them with spears, homesteads with cultivated fields and the majestic mountains as the background, the usual. But as Jack went in deeper into the cavern, the depictions began to take on a more strange, The Twilight Zone-esque flavor.


    The scenes of men encountering, and fighting, even offering worship, to monsters and strange figures were becoming common. Jack couldn''t just chalk the drawings up to cavemen acting out in superstitions since there was the real possibility that these monsters were exaggerated depictions of Supers in the ancient times.


    But then, it was harder to make that call as the monsters became more bizarre and horrifying; in one, it was a huge black tentacle thing with a red eye in the middle. In another, a giant with six arms and three heads, busy eating humans. And then there was the biggie: Jack could swear the mural could be mistaken for a UFO. Although it was not round and disc-shaped nor silver in color, the thing was undoubtedly hovering in the air ¨C yep, it had to be a freaking UFO. What else could it possibly be?!


    Jack felt like his head was spinning like the proverbial saucers in the old Sci-Fi movies.


    What the hell. Is this some kind of a practical joke?!


    He glanced at Mylorne Akkad and Doctor McLean but they didn''t seem to care about the murals and were resolutely staring forward. Seeing them, Jack lost any motivation to ask for an explanation of what the heck he was seeing on these walls.


    Down further into the cavern, the buggy finally clattered to a stop. And Jack did a double take on what he was seeing at the moment. He was getting real tired of more surprises right about now ¨C he had been in constant state of being in one form of shock or another since yesterday and currently, he could use some of that ¡°back the eff off for a second¡± to save his mind from going kablooey.


    Climbing out of the buggy, Jack was presented with a huge underground arena. It was bigger even than a football pitch, bigger than even an airplane hangar. Truly a ridiculous dimension for an underground formation.


    And on top of that sheer nonsensical scale, there was even a miniature pyramid colored in blood red and shaped just like the one outside the city of Cairo, smack dab in the middle of this huge open space. This particular one was not as big, though ¨C maybe only a tenth in dimension, but it was uncannily similar in appearance.


    The entire structure was quarantined in the clear bubble-like material. A laboratory was set up just outside of the quarantine, with a ton of equipment and computers set up. And yes, there were also lots of researchers standing around pointing at stuff on the myriad of the monitors, looking important and intelligent.


    Jack hadn''t yet had the chance to fully digest everything he saw until now when McLean turned to face Akkad and spoke.


    ¡°Okay, so here we are, The Crystal Chamber,¡± McLean said as he gazed at Jack and at his boss. ¡°The boy can enter it anytime. The prototype Kevlar survival mech suit is ready to wear as well, sir. We got the boy''s measurements down perfect and suit has been adjusted accordingly. While he''s suiting up, we will place the Red Crystal in the chamber''s core.¡±


    Jack''s head was spinning from so many questions wanting to break free, so understandably it took a couple of seconds before he registered what was said. ¡°Eh? Me? I''m going to enter that pyramid thingy?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± nodded McLean and Akkad almost at the same time.


    ¡°Okay, uh, slow down, guys. First of all, what the hell is that thing?! Why is a pyramid doing here underground, in continental U.S, halfway across the world from where it''s usually found? And just what the hell did I see back in the cave? Aliens? Monsters?!¡±


    Akkad motioned McLean to speak up on the matters of the pyramid. After all, the doctor knew more of it than anyone in this facility, a fact that he was obviously quite proud of.


    ¡°Ahem. Well, Mister Mercer ¨C can I call you Jack? Right. Jack, there are some things we don''t have the concrete answers to, such as how on earth this pyramid had ended up here underground. But as to pyramid-like structures only found in Egypt, that assertion is very much wrong, indeed. You can find pyramids from just about anywhere, from Mexico to China, from India to Australasia, they are everywhere if you care to take a closer look.


    ¡°We, my team, posit that this particular pyramid was deliberately built down here. We think that an extremely advanced civilization, not exactly terrestrial in nature, built it for a purpose of.... well, endowing combat experience to the earth-bound warriors.


    ¡°The Egyptologists all think that these ancient buildings are tombs of the Pharaohs and stuff like that, but heh, if they knew ours isn''t anything remotely similar to theirs.... Hahaha, it''d be funny seeing their shocked expressions. Well, anyways. Lately, some of the researchers began calling it The Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Unofficially, of course. Tells you all you need to know about it, really.¡±


    There was a gleam of excitement in McLean''s eyes as he fervently spoke, hoping that his great witticism would find an appreciative audience. Alas, his expectant gaze was met with confused pair from Jack as the teen didn''t get the reference. It was before his time, after all. And Akkad was pretty much apathetic to the name as long as it didn''t hinder the purpose of this research facility.


    Realizing that he had failed miserably in his mini-quest, McLean''s shoulders sagged just a bit in disappointment before he continued.


    ¡°Inside the structure, it''s almost empty, except for two things ¨C a pedestal with a crystal on top and a flat plinth at the core where we can place an object such as the power source of the whole thing. We know that the pedestal acts as a switch, to turn the structure on and off. Once you switch the structure on, the time begins to flow differently inside. And, uh, things happen.¡±


    Jack tilted his head in further confusion.


    ¡°What do you mean, the time flows differently inside? Huh? And what... things?¡±


    ¡°Well, it''s like this. Once you go inside and activate the structure, the time will flow faster compared to the outside. One hour outside is equivalent to almost 24 hours inside. So, a day outside, you''ll be spending nearly 576 hours inside, which is 24 days. See, almost like the Hyperbolic Time Chamber!!¡±


    Jack still didn''t get the reference so he ignored that.


    ¡°So you want me to go in there? And do what, exactly?¡±


    Akkad stepped in this time and replaced the utterly disappointed McLean. Taking Jack away from the earshot of everyone, he leaned in closer after switching off the radio.


    ¡°You''ll be training once you enter the pyramid. First, to reacquire the ability to use the Soul Sphere without sleep. And two, to absorb more of the red souls that will emit from the Crystal after it''s activated and further enhance your abilities.


    ¡°I believe you will need a lot more than 24 days to accomplish this, but the time is of the essence and you need to hurry. We don''t know how much breathing room we have, and a single day out here is all we can afford for now.¡±


    Jack gulped involuntarily.


    I must do what?! But this....


    No, I am going to do this. Let''s not waste any more of my time thinking about this. If the pyramid and what''s inside can make me stronger, then let''s do it. Why am I hesitating, when I''m already this deep down the rabbit hole?


    Now that it came down to this, nothing seemed to matter, nothing other than the relentless march forward. At the end of this march, he was going to emerge as powerful and imperious as his former self, the God-King Gilgamesh. Okay, maybe not that soon, but he''d be many steps closer, closer to the ideals of the man and to achieving his goal of exacting justice to the two Supers, Falcon and Master Evil. Jack nodded resolutely, not even bothering to ask what to expect once inside the pyramid.


    They returned to where McLean was, and like a small miracle, the dejected scientist had perked right back up already. He excitedly continued with the explanation.


    ¡°Only one person can enter and activate the Time Chamber. When activated, you can''t leave it without switching it off. Just thought that I''d let you know. If you are worried about rations, don''t worry, we''ve got you covered. MREs, baby. They might taste dry but all the necessary nutrients for a growing body, all in there.¡±


    Jack had a slight idea what an MRE was. But what about the issue of... a bathroom? Or sleep, even the matter of resting?


    ¡°Well, you can pee inside your suit. There''s a small reservoir where the discharged liquid is gathered. You can empty it during the breaks. I''ll show you how it works when you''re putting the suit on later.


    ¡°As for sleep.... well, I don''t think you can fall asleep inside but resting should be possible. There is a small boundary near the Crystal core that we think is a demarcation for a safe zone.


    ¡°But, uh, if you''re worried about, uh, number 2, then well, you gotta make do, somehow. Sorry.¡±


    Jack almost gave up on entering the pyramid but after a strong shake of his head, and a firm bite to his lower lip brought the resolution back to the fore.


    ¡°Alright. Tell me what I need to do.¡±


    Jack''s voice sounded grim but determined. It was a declaration from him that nothing would dissuade him from entering the structure. Absolutely nothing at all.


    Akkad nodded in appreciation and sighed gently. ¡°Follow Doctor McLean to the locker room over there. You will be advised on the various vital functions of the prototype mech suit before putting it on. It might be a little uncomfortable, but bear with it as you will need its capabilities inside the chamber to withstand its trials.¡±


    There were some ominous words in what Akkad said but Jack didn''t pay heed to them as it was a little late to back out now. Too committed for regrets, as it were.


    Wordlessly, Jack followed McLean and entered the locker room. There was a single gleaming silver crate in the middle, placed upright.


    ¡°Well, here it is; the pride of Akkad Industries, Inc. The prototype Kevlar multi-purpose all-terrain survival mech suit, GS-011-PX. Now go ahead and get out of the Hazmat suit. I''ll help you put this beauty on.¡±


    Jack entered the clean air chamber located within the room and stripped off the bulky Hazmat suit, then let the clean air scrub him down. As he was doing just that, McLean operated the crate and opened the lid. Inside, a set of unpainted combat armor, waiting for its new owner. Its surface was pitch-dark and non-reflective, as if it was actively absorbing all of the surrounding light.


    McLean helped Jack to put on the suit all the while waxing lyrical about the grandness of this suit and its abilities. First, he put on the black fabric that was harder than steel but as supple as silk. McLean explained that it was a new carbon fabric weave that Akkad Industries had come up with but due to astronomical cost it had never been implemented, remaining only as a prototype at this stage.


    Next was the armor parts. Each of the parts was tough like steel but light, as light as the black fabric. And finally, the helmet. The visor was black on the outside but from inside Jack had no problem looking out. It was a bit stuffy inside, though. And the sound was muffled as well. This must have been what wearing a racing helmet was like.


    McLean explained that each of the armor was enough to reflect any regular small caliber firearms, well up to .45 depending on the distance. Combined with the fabric, the suit would even absorb almost 50% of the concussive force. Knives wouldn''t even be able to cut it, and only the industrial-strength laser could, the ones used to cut diamonds.


    The suit also had the important function of keeping the body temperature stable at all times. It also had slots for shots of morphine in case the wearer was injured but it was empty now. On the hips, areas for holsters and weapons. On his left forearm, touchscreen miniature PDA computer, shielded by the same material as the armor. Shockproof, heat and water resistant, and the touch screen that was scratch proof as well ¨C a perfect tool for the most demanding customers. Like him.


    Fully suited up, Jack stood before a mirror and examined his appearance. To his dismay, he looked somewhat like a costumed hero wearing the type of things that he''d never, ever wear unless he wanted to commit a social seppuku. Well, he was wearing one and it fit him like a glove as if it was made specifically for him. Although that couldn''t have been, he silently mused to himself. Seriously, who in their right minds would spend millions upon millions on research and development to develop something that was destined for only one person and nobody else?


    Dismissing this line of thought, something suddenly came up on his mind. Jack turned and asked McLean earnestly. ¡°Hey, does this armor suit thing come in red?¡±


    ¡°Uh... no, not really. What, you want one in that color? In red?¡±


    Jack shrugged his shoulders. ¡°No, well. I was just curious.¡±


    McLean chuckled. ¡°Whatever, man. Move around a bit, let me see if it''s chafing up somewhere uncomfortable. Once you are happy in it, switch on the PDA and activate the suit.¡±


    Jack did as told, and moved around a little in it; nothing felt amiss. He gave an all-clear thumbs-up, and McLean gave out a few more instructions on how to access the various functions of the suit via the PDA.


    Jack switched on the PDA as per the instructions. A dim orange glow emitted from the dormant screen. The first lines it said was:


    Welcome, new user. Activate the standard settings now?


    Jack pressed the pulsing ¡°yes¡± button without hesitation.


    The suit let out a short hiss, and a subtle beep, before Jack felt a slight tightening of the suit around him. Now, he didn''t feel like he was wearing anything at all ¨C as if he was completely naked. A weird feeling, that.


    And on the visor, orange texts floated up. ¡°Initial calibration completed. In-depth calibration to the new user''s specification unable to be carried out: insufficient data.¡±


    Even though he couldn''t see Jack''s confused face, McLean still helpfully offered up explanations.


    ¡°Don''t be alarmed. The computer will change some parameters of the suit to best accommodate you. You will need to perform a lot of actions so the computer can collect as much information as possible. Once the in-depth calibration is finished, the suit will be able to show off its most amazing stuff.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. Most of the functions the suit provides, you won''t probably need it inside the Chamber, other than the body temperature modulation and the shock reduction and absorption. If you have any other questions that you can''t think of now but might later while stuck inside the structure, the PDA has one or two FAQs so take a look. Alright, let''s get going, then!!¡±


    ~


    ¡°Looking good,¡± said Mylorne Akkad as he sized up Jack emerged from the locker room. ¡°You know, I initially took inspirations from the Armor of Crimson Starlight when designing the GS series. Who knew it would suit you this well?¡±


    Akkad had a gentle smile as he nodded, but he became serious as he and Jack approached the entrance of the pyramid.


    ¡°Okay, listen to me, Mister Mercer. The suit is linked with the monitoring system out here but because of the time difference as well as how the structure is constructed, we won''t be able to communicate when you are inside. Even monitoring your vitals will not be possible once the structure activates.


    ¡°Once you enter, you will encounter strange and dangerous situations. But overcome them to your best abilities. In the beginning, it will not be difficult. The further you progress, the harder it will get. Bear that in mind.


    ¡°If you feel that your life is threatened, then do not hesitate and switch off the structure and escape. That is not up for a debate. Understood?¡±


    Jack nodded solemnly. Even though no one said out aloud, but judging from their expressions he could tell entering and withstanding even a single day inside the pyramid would be difficult, most likely deadly. Otherwise, why would there be a need to wear this cumbersome and expensive armor? Or the strict advice from Akkad?


    Jack entered through the opening of the quarantine bubble and approached the ornately constructed entrance of the red pyramid. Perhaps fittingly, it was shaped like the mouth of a monster; wide open and ready to swallow the next hapless fool who chose to step within. The Hazmat suit wearing technicians rushed out as Jack stood in front of the entrance. One of them shouted at him.


    ¡°Hey man. Good luck in there. I''ll pray for you.¡±


    Jack almost retorted that he was not religious, but saved his energy. The technician meant well, after all.


    Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside the doorway.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)


    (Next update is due on Sunday. But it''s ICC Champions final featuring India and Pakistan. Not sure just how much work I''ll get to do that day, so, uh, please don''t get your hopes up too high. Thanks.)

 Red Souls Chapter 17: The Criminals

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 17: The Criminals</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Nico Gavalas didn''t feel tired or fatigued. He hadn''t slept, barely ate anything substantial or rested at any length of time, ever since arriving in this wonderful country, yet, he felt great somehow. He felt wonderful, alive and alert. His mind was incomparably clear, his steps light.


    Maybe, it was the energy of the city, its people, causing this metamorphosis. Even though there was a heavy presence of police officers and military personnel here and there ¨C everywhere ¨C Nico found it easy to feel the life pulsing in the streets from every nook and cranny, on his skin.


    Didn''t matter that today was Sunday. Most cities would be empty and eerily silent on early Sunday mornings but not New York. It was like everyone living in this city had places to go, people to meet and things to do regardless of what day it was.


    Nico mused to himself that indeed, this city deserved to be called the one of the greatest on earth, judged from its stunning architecture to the vast melting pot of culture, art and heritage. Most importantly, its people.


    He loved it. It felt so much more alive and full of hope, compared to his hometown back in Greece. There was this aura, a buzz of excitement, permeating in the air, seemingly born out of the people''s beliefs that there was an opportunity for everyone as long as one wished to grab it with both hands. And Nico was such a person.


    Oh, how he struggled for years to make ends meet.


    So much went wrong so very quickly; people losing their livelihoods and their homes, their directions in life gone almost overnight without warning. Of course, that wasn''t really true, as there were enough hints of decay, signals of impending collapse, but as it was often the case with humanity, those hints went ignored and unanswered until it was too late to reverse. His home country and particularly, his hometown, was hit hard by the economic recession and needed to receive bail-out funds from the neighbors with humiliating conditions attached.


    All of that was meaningless, now that he had become the part of the light. He was a part of the solution. He was reborn from the ashes of the corrupted society. And pretty soon, others like him would be reborn in the same way.


    While walking down the street Nico caught his own reflection from the window of a clothing store. He grinned slightly at his own visage. Although he hadn''t rested much, he still looked great. No one would doubt this handsome, jovial man would be their unlikely savior. Funnily enough, even he himself couldn''t readily recognize it.


    He was not 100% sure, but Nico thought that his face looked different. And there was this lingering feeling, telling him that he wasn''t supposed to be a Nico Gavalas anymore, that he was instead somebody else now.


    A brand new being, befitting of a brand new beginning.


    As to who he had become after this wonderful metamorphosis, well, he believed it didn''t matter. He was better off now anyways. No point in dwelling on the past for any longer, lest he roused his unpleasant memories from their slumber. Besides, he couldn''t remember them all that well as it was.


    As he continued checking out his appearance, he saw a police car cruise by behind him. Two cops sat inside, looking vigilant and slightly trigger happy. Nico lost count how many times he encountered policemen and women this morning while on his way. He thought that all this presence of officers was the strangest thing, a blight in otherwise a wonderful cityscape.


    Not too long ago, he had heard that New York shed the unenviable title of the crime capital of the United States of America. But all this presence of the police force made it like there was a major crime going on right at this moment. He found it all very bizarre.


    Not even once did it cross his mind that he was responsible for this heightened security level, though.


    Anyways, they weren''t looking for him, that much Nico was sure of. He went past many cordons of checkpoints with no problem, so that was the proof enough.


    Everything was going so well and he had no complaints. He found the Divine Dagger of Enki, the God of Creation, ahead of schedule with minimal resistance. And now, he was hot on the trail of the second artifact needed for the success of the ritual. The enigmatic broken compass was leading him towards an industrial district, to where his objective was. After he found this piece, then it''d be time to go to the Metropolitan Museum and boom!!


    Nico couldn''t wait to see the elated faces of all the New Yorkers after the ritual was performed. He was quite sure it would be an incredible spectacle to witness.


    Soon, a warehouse came into the view. The compass''s needle was pointing towards it. Nico nodded in delight and hastened his steps but as soon as he got near it, his facial color changed for the worse.


    He saw familiar people, walking around the warehouse. No, not familiar as in he knew them, but familiar as in how these people smelled, how these people talked, how these people moved, their eyes shifty and suspicious and arrogant and worst of all, corrupt.


    They were criminals. Nico saw them bully innocent and weak back in his hometown. Their Eastern European faces and accents pretty much confirmed his suspicions.


    Nico felt his mood sour. Before he came here, before he became this new person, he too had suffered at the hands of these despicable criminals who peddled narcotics, trafficked young girls, robbed and assaulted anyone who got in their way with total impunity.


    Nico lost so much as a victim of their trickery. Their silver tongues and rich promises brought him nothing but heartache and pain. He was powerless to make it right, too weak and voiceless to take revenge.


    But now, things were different. He could deal with these bastards. Just as well, the Dagger and the stone tablet needed sacrificial blood to get going anyways; might as well spill the blood of these scums of the society, begin the cleansing of the world proper with them, right here, right this moment.


    As he thought like this, Nico immediately felt better. An amiable smile returned to his lips. Chuckling lightly, he approached the warehouse guarded by several burly men carrying semi-automatic assault rifles.


    Nico unhurriedly walked past the unmanned guard post between the steel wire fencing and got nearer to one of the gun-toting goons who was standing around oblivious while smoking a cigarette, apparently failing to notice a figure approaching his back. He was evidently alone, out of his friends'' view. That was a fatal mistake on his part.


    In Nico''s free hand, there was nothing. Then, a blink of an eye later, the dagger he had taken from Abyss the masked vigilante appeared like a magic trick.


    Nico simply stabbed the smoking man from behind. The blade was unexpectedly sharp, cutting through the man''s spine like a hot knife through butter and pierced his heart, killing the man instantly. Nico nonchalantly withdrew the weapon and the lifeless body fell with a soft thud, the semi-automatic rifle in his side clattering noisily on the ground. The blood on the blade sizzled, before dissipating into wisps.


    Nico''s gym bag started vibrating. Remembering something important, he hurriedly put the bag down and opened it, releasing the stone tablet inside. That''s when the bizarre things began to happen for real.


    The tablet flew up in the air and started to emit a low hum, glowing in a sickly golden hue. As it did so, the pooling blood from the dead man quickly coagulated into a single ball-shaped mass, before floating up near the tablet, circling around it. Then a single thin thread emerged out of this bloody sphere, and its end was absorbed by the tablet. Slowly, the ball unraveled as more and more of the thread continuously entered the tablet.


    The stone tablet shook a little harder but returned back to a low humming after it finished absorbing the sphere of blood. Nico nodded in satisfaction watching from the sidelines.


    ¡°Heh, so this guy was a warrior, eh. Must''ve killed a quite a few people in his life.¡±


    Nico shook his head but the wide smile remained on his lips.


    ¡°Oh well, this amount of blood isn''t enough, but I''m sure there are enough sacrifices inside, so no worries, my liege. It''s all going to be just fine.¡±


    Nico spoke reverently towards the exposed golden skull, before picking up the gym bag and the skull within it. The stone tablet remained suspended in the air just above his head, following him as Nico started moving again.


    ~


    Wilhelm Milosevic was a self-made man.


    Born to a poor peasant family eking out a wretched living in rural Albania, born as one Ylli Markaj, Wilhelm quickly made a name for himself as a bare-knuckle underground prizefighter in his teenage years. It was the only way he thought he could earn a bit of money and dig an escape hole for himself. The heavens blessed him with a kind of physique well-suited for such a purpose and young Ylli ¨C Wilhelm ¨C learned early on how to utilize that advantage to the fullest.


    By the time he turned 20, he had fought almost everyone he could in his neighborhood ¨C even crippling two and killing one ¨C and was left with no choice but to move to a bigger league. Which was, of course, crime. Organized crime, to be exact.


    After the fall of the Soviet Union and its societal ideology of Communism, Albania moved on to the paths of a freer economy and democracy. This change of direction for the nation unwittingly allowed numerous local gangsters the access to the bigger markets beyond its borders. Tempered by years of doing things their way, the brutal, unrestrained way, the Albanian criminal gangs proliferated at a rate which shamed the traditional organizations of Western and Southern Europe.


    During this time of tumultuous change, Ylli decided to change his surname to something that sounded a bit more Russian, Milosevic, thinking that having a background of being a dirt-poor, uneducated rural Albanian would only serve to buy ridicule from his peers. Whether his wishes were granted or not, no one could tell, really.


    Also, he hadn''t told anyone this, but his first name was supposed to be a William ¨C but he got the spelling wrong on the paper and somehow, the guy forging his new identity effed it up big time and went with Wilhelm instead. Suffice to say, the idiot was now.... sleeping with the fishes at the bottom of an unnamed lake.


    After that, it was a whirlwind of trafficking drugs, armed robberies and commissioned murders before leaving the old continent for the land of the free ¨C the United States of America, the country that welcomed all those with a decent bank balance. William happened to be one such individual so naturally, he was able to enter without encountering any pesky issues. That was almost twenty years ago.


    He had built his business very carefully since then. Wilhelm was never a fan of drugs himself, but it was a good cash cow, so he continued peddling them. In reality, though, his passion was weapons. And not just your average peashooter one could get from the car trunk of some shady character in a dark back alley.


    No, he loved handling stuff that could fire hundreds of rounds per minute, or stuff that could fire a rocket propelled projectile that could puncture a hole in the side of an armored truck. Or a helicopter. Or a plane, if that took the client''s fancy.


    So he specialized in illegal weapons smuggling, in and out of the various countries around the globe to whoever was willing to pony up the cash. And as an aside, he also got in touch with some well-monied Middle Eastern gentlemen who wished to purchase fine, young Caucasian girls, preferably virgins, necessitating that he got going on that front as well.


    The end result was that, his business has been good. Very good. Very stimulating as well.


    It was only recently that one of his underlings suggested trying out at smuggling arts and ancient artifacts, and selling them on the black market. This suggestion was met with a certain amount of enthusiasm; as Wilhelm found himself getting older, his tastes had become more refined. A genuine appreciation for fine art had developed before he was aware of the change. This, from a man who couldn''t be bothered to start a family of his own because kids would be too much work.


    Anyways, this new venture meant that not only could he enjoy feasting his eyes on some of the most beautiful works of art produced by mankind but he''d also make a healthy chunk of cash too. A win-win, in other words.


    Since it was a new thing, the scale of the operation was still on the smaller side compared to the rest of his other interests. But it was steadily growing in size and Wilhelm predicted that in no time it''d be as significant a contributor to his coffers as the drug running.


    And currently, Wilhelm was sitting in his office, his fingers gently toying a small broken bronze mirror.


    His dark brown hair had lost most of its color, now more or less gray. His taut, scarred and chiseled face had a few more spots than before, never mind the wrinkles on his forehead. To disguise the ravages of time, he had grown a luxurious beard but even that had turned gray, betraying its original purpose.


    But his huge shoulders and intimidating countenance hadn''t lost any of its visceral intimidating power. He could cower any man simply by glaring. The ruthless coldness in his eyes was still the same as the day he decided to commit a murder for the first time in order to make a living.


    Currently, though, his eyes were softer as he studied the ancient bronze mirror. An appreciative sigh left his lips as he traced the smooth lines of the artifact.


    The mirror was beautiful. A piece of its reflective surface was broken off, but the damage itself was negligible. The overall shape was quite nicely preserved, unaffected by the ravages of time, unlike his aging face.


    The carbon dating hadn''t been conducted yet, but from what Wilhelm could gather, this item was old. Very old. Like, thousands of years old. Older than even the ancient Egypt kind of old.


    He had hit a jackpot, in other words. Even if the mirror turned out to be nothing more than some trinket a child might have played with back then thousands of years ago, it still was an item of immense archaeological value. The monetary price attached to it would be astronomical.


    The bronze was highly polished with an unknown technique. Its reflective ability would put most modern day mirrors to shame in this regard alone. And then there were all those decorative patterns on the side. They were very intricate and utterly beautiful. The craftsmanship was at a level of being enchanting, bewitching, simply arresting.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Wilhelm Milosevic had heard how an unlucky farmer in Turkey or somewhere nearby accidentally unearthed the bronze mirror and tried to sell the damn thing to make the ends meet. A local gangster forcibly acquired it and then sold it to one of Wilhelm''s partners there. Now, he held it, and he''d profit from it, big time.


    As he happily toyed with the mirror, his phone vibrated. Raising an eyebrow, Wilhelm unhappily answered the call.


    ¡°Yeah? What is it?¡±


    A familiar voice came from the other side.


    ¡°Sorry, boss, but we might have a couple of problems. I''m in a hospital right now. That idiot Max got his balls busted.¡±


    ¡°What? Why? What the f*ck happened to that asshole now?¡±


    Wilhelm massaged his temples as he lowered the mirror.


    ¡°The fat f*ck''s in the ER right now. The motherf*cking Abyss roughed him up last night. Max called me for help so I got here and heard the story. Abyss is looking for that girl, boss.¡±


    ¡°Abyss? That crazy bastard? How the f*ck did Max live through the night? No, it doesn''t really matter. Did he spill the f*cking beans? What did the idiot say?¡±


    ¡°That''s the thing, boss. Apparently, Abyss got interrupted by another Super. They fought, but Abyss lost and hightailed it out of there. Max said he didn''t even have a chance to NOT talk before the crap went down in front of him.¡±


    ¡°Huh, is that right. Fine. I don''t trust the f*cker anyway. Get rid of him later. So? What else?¡±


    ¡°No, Well, this other thing is more f*cked up, boss. While I was in here waiting for Max, I got a call from the contact in Athens. He tells me the stone tablet we were supposed to receive next week got stolen.¡±


    Wilhelm slammed the top of the table hard enough to nearly tip it on its side. The fiery anger blazed like a wildfire in his face.


    ¡°What?! Who the f*ck pulled that off? Which crew dares to rip me off?¡±


    ¡°No idea yet, boss. The contact says that everyone taking care of the thing ended up dead. All their eyes were dug out, or some sh*t like that. Funny thing is, the contact also tells me it was one man, apparently. Some smiling bastard or some such like that.¡±


    Wilhelm sat back down on the chair and slowly rubbed his forehead. After a short silence, he barked out an order.


    ¡°Okay, fine. Take care of business on that end and come back in, tell me everything in detail. Got it?¡±


    Wilhelm ended the call and chucked the phone away in disgust. That stone tablet was also supposedly a very expensive, very old artifact of unknown origins. It was going to give him a huge financial boost when he''d get his hands on it. But some lunatic bastard stole it from him?


    That wouldn''t do. Not at all.


    Wilhelm was already thinking of dispatching his boys over there to find out what the hell was going on and to kill the bastard responsible for it. No one screwed with Wilhelm Milosevic and lived to tell about it, not even the Pope himself.


    And then, there was the matter of the vigilante, Abyss. To think, he''d get involved in the thing with the girl. That was quite a troublesome matter to overcome. The client waiting on the other side of the continent would not be pleased to learn that a nosy vigilante had caught on to the scent of this deal.


    ¡°How the hell did Abyss catch a wind of the girl? Damn it.¡±


    Wilhelm angrily shook his head. He''d have to hire proper external help to deal with Abyss. His men were not trained or adequately equipped to handle a Super like that. Wilhelm wouldn''t make the mistake of underestimating the legendary vigilante that was Abyss. Not in this lifetime.


    After all, the damn vigilante had been active in the underbelly of New York for a better part of a decade, killing and maiming all the criminals he could lay his hands on. And he evaded capture by the cops and other Supers until now.


    Most famously, he once publically executed a serial killer who preyed on young children in full view of everyone at Times Square, declaring that he''d kill all the darkness in this world or some crap like that. Even after pulling that stunt, no one could find him.


    That told Wilhelm everything he needed to know, that Abyss was a dangerous, resourceful opponent that would be terribly difficult to contend with.


    Cursing inwardly, Wilhelm picked up the phone again and dialed it, trying to connect to an underling outside his office. But the phone kept on ringing. No answers.


    Frowning in irritation, Wilhelm tried another number, but still, no answer. His irritation grew in leaps and bounds. He no longer restrained his anger and spat out a choice of expletives before walking out of the office, located on the second floor of the main warehouse Wilhelm owned. In fact, he owned quite a few in numerous parts of the city, all for the sake of security, the appearance of legitimacy and finally, diversifying his so-called portfolio.


    From the exit of his office, he had a pretty good view of the floor space below, being on a catwalk. He enjoyed checking out the cargo from the high vantage point, seeing them all wrapped up nicely and ready to be shipped to their destinations.


    As soon as he leaned over the railings, his face drained of all color. Wilhelm initially saw not one of his soldiers but that was for only a brief second. Right away, his senses told him it was dangerous to hang around here and he whipped out his pistol, ready to fire at a moment''s notice.


    Wilhelm quickly ran his eyes all around the floor space until he spotted one of his men. From the look of things, it was as obvious as daylight that the man was dead, the way the poor shmuck was lying on the ground, face first on the cold hard floor, not even twitching slightly.


    Wilhelm frowned. How the hell didn''t he hear anything? No gunfire, no screams, not even the shouts of warning or panic? This made no sense. Unless....


    ¡°Sh*t, it must be Abyss. That f*cker Max did spill his f*king guts!! I swear, I''ll kill that idiot bastard real slow, real painful, later!!¡±


    Wilhelm hurriedly returned to his office and locked the doors. He then went to one of the walls and roughly ripped the cheap painting off it, revealing a safe. He quickly punched in the security code, unlocking it. Wilhelm pulled out a bulletproof vest from the safe and threw it on, then yanked out another pistol, tucking it in his back. Next, he grabbed some rolls of cash and stuffed it in his jacket.


    Finally, he took the tablet computer from inside the safe and smashed it to the ground, hoping that this action would render the device unusable and its data unsalvageable. Of course, he didn''t forget to grab the bronze mirror too.


    All done with his preparations, he exited the office and hurriedly went downstairs, his pistol pointing forward. His aim remained true and unwavering. Wilhelm had encountered enough life or death experiences so this much wasn''t going to fluster him.


    If anything, he was feeling royally pissed off at the vigilante for killing his men, as it would cost him a fair whack of money to cultivate another group of loyal soldiers after all was said and done.


    As his feet stepped off the last rung of the stairs, Wilhelm heard a gurgling noise not too far from where he was. The view was blocked by the wooden containers but he didn''t have to see it to know what that sound was, the death throes of a dying man. He should know ¨C Wilhelm heard it plenty of times while he was killing, or when he was watching his men kill.


    Grimacing, Wilhelm cocked the firing pin into position and quickly stepped out past the container, ready to squeeze the trigger. But he was left frozen by the unexpected sight in front of him.


    A smiling man was standing there, holding a bloodied dagger. By his feet, one of Wilhelm Milosevic''s men, lying in the pool of his own blood. There was a cut wound to the throat. Wilhelm could tell the guy had his neck slashed open from behind and had no chance to defend himself.


    But that wasn''t the craziest thing that stopped Wilhelm from moving.


    No, the floating stone tablet did. Around it, several globes of reddish liquid substance lazily danced around and were in a state of being slowly absorbed by the tablet. On its surface where it was previously smooth and unmarked, now thin, hard-to-read lines of text were slowly materializing as more and more blood entered the tablet.


    ¡°Oh, hello there.¡±


    The cheerfully smiling man turned around to face Wilhelm and greeted him. At once, the hardened gangster came around from his daze. He recognized the stone tablet right away ¨C the photo of the damn thing was stored in the tablet PC he just smashed not too long ago in his office. It''d be strange if he couldn''t remember his own merchandise, after all.


    ¡°You f*ck, you''re so dead.¡±


    Wilhelm spat out at the smiling man and pulled the trigger. Three rounds were quickly fired, all heading for a sure kill. The range was close enough too. No way someone like he would miss.


    And sure enough, the bullets didn''t miss. But the target simply swung his dagger and deflected the bullets away. Wilhelm gasped out in shock.


    ¡°Oops, now that was dangerous, sir. You shouldn''t point that gun at a person, you know!!¡±


    The smiling man chuckled amiably, waving his dagger playfully in the air. For a second there, Wilhelm saw the blade leave behind an afterimage of itself, like some kind of a ghostly apparition. The gangster felt his legs go numb from the realization.


    This guy is a f*king Super!! God damn it!!


    Wilhelm''s grimace became deeper. Without hesitation, he fired more shots, emptying the ammo almost immediately. Not a single shot went through. The man simply swung the dagger in a lazy manner and all of the bullets were blocked in mid-flight.


    ¡°Okay, mister. I''m guessing you are out of bullets now?¡±


    The smiling man asked as the clicking of the empty gun resounded in the warehouse.


    Wilhelm promptly dropped the gun on the floor and hastily got on his knees, seemingly trembling in fear.


    ¡°Jesus, god damn it!! Okay, fine, man. What is it you want? Huh? I can give to you. Anything you want, I can organize for you, you know what I mean? Chicks, drugs, weapons, money ¨C whatever you want!! Just don''t f*king kill me, okay?¡±


    Wilhelm pleadingly looked up at the smiling man. On a closer inspection, the man seemed to be a Greek descent. Remembering that the stone tablet was stolen in Athens, somehow, it fit the bill. But the weirdest thing was, Wilhelm thought that he recognized this guy from somewhere. But from where?


    It felt like he should''ve remembered it right away but, for some reason, he just couldn''t. How strange.


    The smiling man had a troubled, wry smile now, as he shook his head. ¡°No, sir. I don''t need drugs, money nor women. None of those are important, you see. Oh hey, would you look at that, you do have something that I want, after all.¡±


    He chuckled happily and lowered the gym bag on the floor. Then, he fished out a broken compass from his pocket and pored over at it for a second before beaming widely.


    ¡°Well, mister. I know you have it on you, so may I have that, please?¡±


    ¡°What? What do you want from me?!¡±


    Confused, Wilhelm asked in a high pitched voice. His right hand was creeping along to the back of his trousers, feeling for his side gun.


    ¡°It''s in your pocket. It''s the bronze mirror. Please, give it to me.¡±


    Hearing this, Wilhelm''s face darkened. But sighing deeply, he slowly pulled it out of the inner jacket pocket and placed in on the cold ground before his kneeling figure.


    ¡°Here. Take the damn thing and leave.¡±


    The smiling man''s eyes brightened as he saw the mirror. The happy, jovial smile spread out much wider on his face. But all Wilhelm could think about was how creepy that smile looked. It was something a madman would have, or a crazed junkie finally getting his shot of the drugs.


    The smiling man, Nico Gavalas, walked towards the mirror with anticipation in his face. And as he bent down to pick up the mirror, Wilhelm snorted derisively and shouted inwardly.


    Block this, motherf*cker.


    It took only a split second for Wilhelm to yank out his extra weapon and fire at Nico. It was practically a point-blank shot and no one in the world could dodge it, not even the most agilest Super known to man ¨C or so he thought.


    Nico Gavalas didn''t even bother to stop the shot nor did he tried to dodge it. He simply reached out with his left hand to grab and push away the gun holding hand of Wilhelm. At the same time, he thrust the dagger into the hardened gangster''s heart.


    The bullet ricochetted noisily on a steel supporting beam above their heads and bounced away. Wilhelm''s eyes trembled in disbelief as he looked down at the dagger penetrating the bulletproof vest, and then at his right hand holding the pistol, with Nico grabbing the wrist and pointing it away from himself.


    Nico chuckled slightly as he spoke. ¡°Whew. Now that was a close call, don''t you think?¡±


    Wilhelm opened his mouth to utter another round of defiant expletives but no words came out, only the thick, gushing blood. His eyes began to dim and the world became gray and cold. He heard the smiling man''s voice as his torso fell over.


    ¡°Don''t worry, mister. Your life, your blood, it''s all being used for the greater good of the mankind, you see. With your timely sacrifices, the one true, rightful king of this world will be able to rise once again. And the great, wonderful gods shall descend on our planet after thousands of years in exile.


    ¡°Oh, but uh, since your soul is so corrupted and impure, well.... You will end up suffering everlasting torment in the Great Below, Irkallu. Sorry about that. Okay, not really. You should''ve lived your life more virtuously, mister....¡±


    As the smiling man''s voice faded away, Wilhelm''s consciousness dimmed to a point where the only thing he could perceive was only the unending darkness. There was not a single mote of light anywhere. And it was also desperately cold, as if he had fallen into the bitter Balkan Winter''s deadly clutch, recalling a particularly unpleasant time in his youth.


    Then, suddenly, something brushed by his cheek. Alarmed, Wilhelm turned around, only to catch a fleeting glimpse of a faint figure. Then something else brushed by his other cheek.


    Screaming in fear, Wilhelm turned around once more, but this time, the illusory figure didn''t float away and instead chose to remain in his view. Wilhelm screamed even louder when he saw what it was ¨C a ghostly, wailing face of a man.


    It was the face of the very first person Wilhelm, no, Ylli, had murdered for money all those years back.


    It was silently wailing at him, cursing at him, its ghostly face distorting gruesomely like a leftover oil stain on the garage floor.


    Wilhelm tried to run but then, he realized that he had no legs. He had no arms either. He had become just like the screaming apparition in front of him.


    Wilhelm desperately screamed out in terror, as more and more of the ghosts from his past appeared all around him. He was surrounded by the phantoms. No one could save his soul now as he was dragged deeper into the darkness....


    Meanwhile, Nico had pulled the Divine Dagger of Enki out of the cold corpse of Wilhelm Milosevic and was in the process of picking up the bronze mirror. The moment his skin came in contact with it, though, he felt a strong resisting force repelling him.


    Surprised at this turn of events, he turned around to look at the gym bag and spoke. ¡°Something is wrong. It''s rejecting me. I can''t hold it. What should I do, my liege?¡±


    Silence ensued. But Nico slowly nodded, apparently hearing an advice on how to proceed from a figure only he could perceive and via words only he could hear.


    ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±


    Nico nodded attentively before brandishing the dagger. He lowered himself and got closer to Wilhelm''s body. Ignoring the blood that was rising up to form yet another globe, he began to chop the right hand of the dead man.


    With the severed hand, Nico picked the mirror up, then, he used Wilhelm''s expensive jacket to wrap both the limb and the bronze mirror.


    ¡°Okay, all done.¡±


    Smiling happily, Nico stuffed the wrapped hand inside the gym bag alongside the golden skull and stood up to stretch his back. He observed the stone tablet carefully as many ancient runes written in crimson red slowly manifested on the surface the more it absorbed the blood spheres.


    The ancient, oppressive aura coming from the tablet got stronger by the second and the surrounding air seemed to distort ever so slightly.


    Nico nodded in genuine appreciation.


    ¡°Hmm, looks like the gate should be ready to open soon. Haha, everything is going well. Very nice.¡±


    Once finished with absorbing all the blood, the stone tablet slowly fell back down to the ground. Nico collected and stored it back inside the gym bag. After hoisting the heavy bag on his shoulder with a soft grunt, he turned his gaze towards the direction of the Central Park with the usual wide grin on his face.


    ¡°Well, it''s time to go to the museum now, eh.¡±


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)


    (Man, today''s the ICC Champions Trophy final between India and Pakistan was a big letdown. Can''t believe I was looking forward to the contest. Talk about fizzling out, India....)

 Red Souls Chapter 18: The Convergence

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 18: The Convergence</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Abyss the vigilante coldly looked down at the corpse of Wilhelm Milosevic. He had rushed to the gangster''s warehouse as fast as his legs could carry him, but alas, it was all in vain.


    He felt somewhat conflicted; on one hand, he couldn''t care any less even if he tried whether this scumbag lived or died. But on the other hand, Abyss would have preferred to give Wilhelm Milosevic his due, by his own blade. In a roundabout way, that''s what happened here but still, it did not feel all that satisfying.


    The sun was shining down the warehouse district like a spotlight from the heaven, highlighting every little fault present within the hearts of humanity. Abyss frowned and shielded his eyes, bothered by the strong glare of the Summer sun.


    He was a creature of the dark, operating during the deepest hours of the night and never during the broad daylight. That was his modus operandi ¨C hidden from the plain view, hidden in the shadows, hidden from the critical voices of the world in order to mete out exacting, unceasing, uncaring justice.


    But today, for the first time in his career as a vigilante, he had to make an exception. Here he was, basking in the sun, running across the city''s rooftop, chasing after a monstrous criminal. This situation was turning to an unexpected direction and he needed to get a grip on it, pronto, or else, a lot more people could die. The proof of this possibility lay sprawled right in front of him.


    Abyss sighed and shook his head slightly. He bent down to observe and check the body; there was a stab wound to the chest. A wallet with a couple of platinum credit cards and a driver''s license, plus some cash. He counted the total of five hundred bucks. An expensive mobile phone, locked by a password, in the pants'' pocket; two handguns, one empty of bullets, the other laying next to the corpse. Nothing else of note, besides the fact that Wilhelm was missing his right hand from just past the wrist.


    The wounds were a clean cut, no serrated edges, just like how his cursed dagger would do. The armor plating on the vest Milosevic wore was sliced open like a tofu. How familiar this scene was to Abyss and how strange to see that it was not him causing this death.


    The freakiest thing was that there was no evidence of blood. Not on the cold, hard concrete ground, not on the clothing, not on the vest, not even on the wound itself. The body of Milosevic was a bit on the withered, dried-up state.


    It wasn''t only this corpse either ¨C the rest of the dead goons suffered the same fate. Via the visuals transmitted by the hacked exterior security cameras, Abyss got to see some weird sh*t before he came here, but seeing was, indeed, believing.


    Abyss had no idea what that strange stone thing could be, but whatever it was, he had no doubt that thing was a very bad news. And that it would thirst for more blood.


    Abyss remained silent as he continued to search around inside the warehouse but as expected, he couldn''t find any other clues on where the murdering bastard disappeared to. He wasn''t hoping for much, so he wasn''t feeling that disappointed.


    However, there were questions lingering on his mind like a bad aftertaste. Why did that murderer come here? Why did he cross the width and breadth of the New York City to come here after taking the cursed dagger away from Abyss? It would have saved him time if he could just come here first as the airport of JFK was not too far from this warehouse.


    Besides, why was the secretive and careful Wilhelm Milosevic present at this warehouse in the first place? The bastard never stayed put in one place for long. So him being here could have meant that there was something big happening today, the Sunday.


    Unfortunately, there were no interior security cameras linking to the outside, and so Ramirez and his hacking wizardry couldn''t help in this case. Abyss was operating completely blind here. What did that mass-murdering Super want in this place? What was the connection?


    Since that monster was no longer around here and everyone else who carried a gun was dead, Abyss was spared from dealing with bothersome issues while he searched for the evidence linking Milosevic to the missing girl. If he was lucky, she''d be here nearby, safe and still breathing. If not, and the girl had fallen victim to that monster, then....


    Or, his assumptions were wrong in the first place and he''d have to start from the very beginning.


    First, the upstairs office. Abyss ransacked the place. The safe was, for the most part, empty. Some rolled up dollar bills, tax documents, business registry, the useless stuff.


    On the desk, even more barren. No computer here, not even a fax machine. The drawers held stationary but little else. A notepad was here too, but Abyss observed a thin layer of dust on it. Looked like Wilhelm Milosevic wasn''t big on writing things down on paper.


    Abyss also realized that there was no dress jacket. Milosevic was wearing a suit so a jacket would have been a must to complete the attire. But he wasn''t wearing it and it wasn''t in the office. It could have been left back at the gangster''s home, so Abyss decided not to mind it too much.


    The only other thing of note Abyss could find was a deliberately smashed-up tablet PC on the ground. Could have been Milosevic; he probably thought that this kind of damage would be sufficient for keeping his secrets safe.


    Abyss sifted through the broken plastic and silicone, and found the internal flash memory modules. It was his lucky day ¨C the thing was undamaged. With the right equipment, he''d be able to extract whatever information was stored inside. There was no extra memory card, though. Milosevic didn''t have one on him, so it was possible that he only used what came as standard from the factory. Or, it was inside the missing jacket. But it was hard to imagine the JFK murderer taking the whole jacket just for a measly memory card, so that thought was ultimately rejected.


    Now, Abyss had the phone and the memory chips. He hoped that these two would hold more than sufficient enough data for whatever the hell was going on here.


    Abyss scooped up the pieces of the broken tablet and did one last look-see of the office. He didn''t find anything else that could be useful to him.


    Next, he went through the warehouse, thoroughly searching through every single corner and hidden crevice.


    The wooden containers were too small to keep a person inside but out of curiosity, Abyss broke open a few here and there. Most of the time they contained nothing more than cheap and pirated goods imported from Eastern Europe and China, such DVDs of famous movies and knockoff Rolex lookalikes. Nothing illegal, mostly, or eye-catching at all.


    However, hidden in a cleverly-concealed compartment of one of the containers, Abyss found boxes of ammunition, obviously in the process of being either smuggled in or out. He found more of these hidden compartments and even uncovered a few caches of guns. They might be considered a good haul, in terms of breaking the back of this criminal operation, but they weren''t what Abyss was looking for.


    Outside the warehouse itself, there was a stack of shipping containers. Even here, there were corpses with stab or cut wounds decorating the concrete ground. Again, no blood whatsoever.


    Abyss fleetingly wondered if the Super responsible, Nico Gavalas, was some kind of a weird, mutated vampire. Since he walked around in broad daylight, that didn''t seem likely.


    Most of the shipping containers were empty but after going through each one carefully, Abyss found two with thick chains and heavy padlocks out in front. He rued the fact that his cursed dagger was no longer with him. That damn thing could slice apart any metal with consummate ease and would have been useful here.


    Abyss decided to improvise and picked up the unused guns off the ground, firing at the locks. It worked better than he expected.


    In one of the containers, he found girls. A dozen or so young girls, their eyes hollow and lifeless, scarred and scared. In a various state of stupor, their lips hanging loose and faces murky with numbed fear, but unable to act whatsoever.


    Abyss grimaced deeply after seeing this scene. He was trying to find a girl yet he found so many others. This caught him off guard.


    The air inside was stale ¨C these girls were trapped inside the container under the hot weather, with no changes of clothing nor the chance to use a john. An air conditioner was installed in the far corner, silently whirring away so the air quality wasn''t so bad, but in the end, that could only act as a stop-gap measure.


    Upon a closer inspection, most of these girls had needle marks on their arms. They were drugged in order to soften their resistance and make them more pliable.


    Abyss really felt pissed off. He gritted his teeth, thinking that he should have moved against Wilhelm Milosevic sooner. Too bad the asshole was already dead, otherwise Abyss would have dragged the scumbag across Times Square and do another public execution.


    He contacted Ramirez, telling him to call the cops and ambulances after ten minutes. He also updated the wheelchair-bound hacker extraordinaire what he had found here. That ten-minute window was to give himself time to finish up with his search and then leave.


    Frankly, Abyss found it appalling how the cops didn''t show up after the first goon started dying; after all, there were security cameras installed on the opposite building, surveying this place.


    Or was it because of what had happened in the airport that most of the available manpower was diverted into finding the culprit? Abyss wasn''t sure; but whatever, the cops had to come here now.


    After finishing the call, he quickly checked other locked container. And he hit the proverbial jackpot.


    After opening it with the gun, he was greeted by another set of metallic doors, this time much more high-tech and secured with an electronic password system. Obviously, Abyss didn''t know what that password was, so he decided to strong-arm it once more and let the bullets fly.


    After blowing up the number pad, the metallic door hissed and chugged, releasing their grips and opening the path for him. Abyss dumped the empty gun on the ground and entered quickly.


    It was misty and cold inside, slightly obscuring his view. The interior was outfitted like a temporary laboratory. Walls were painted in pale blue, and several computer monitors were mounted on them, showing green texts and numbers that were continuously flowing past. There were computer terminals, chairs, canisters of liquid Nitrogen, and some wires as well as pipes snaking around.


    And in the middle was a large glass cylinder, filled with bluish-green liquid. The pipes and wires and all the computers were connected to this cylinder ¨C and there was a young naked girl of indeterminable age silently floating inside.


    Abyss spotted some sort of movement behind the girl''s closed eyes. She seemed barely conscious. An oxygen mask covered more than half of her face but it was easy to see how beautiful this girl was, almost otherworldly in her looks. If her ears were longer, one would be tempted to call her an Elf or some such.


    Seeing her, Abyss took in a deep breath. He had found her.


    ~


    Cleo was looking at the brownstone across the street with intensity and her eyes gradually got misty. The building was as exactly as she had remembered it.


    Unable to endure it any longer, she hurriedly jumped out of the ¡°borrowed¡± car and ran towards the entrance. Erik and Lei exited right after, complicated expressions on their faces. They were staying put in order to see if the Project King members were lying in wait but Cleo''s actions meant that it didn''t matter now.


    Fortunately, the trip had been uneventful. Mylorne Akkad''s plane landed at a small private airfield just North of New York, and the trio procured a vehicle soon after.


    They ran into several military and police checkpoints, making the trip quite a nerve-wracking experience, but in the end, they managed to slip by. They witnessed that there were impromptu arrests being made on the spot by the NYPD and FBI agents so the tension did rise quite unnecessarily.


    They couldn''t help but think that the people arrested were only handcuffed and corraled into a waiting police van because of their ¡°suspicious¡± faces and nothing more. They even saw an African man speaking in a foreign accent struggling to convince a cold-faced NYPD policeman that he had the right to be here, in the country. His pleas fell on deaf ears.


    A couple of Italian wiseguys were throwing insults at FBI agents as they were taken away from a diner into an unmarked van, too. It was like a scene from a bad movie, Erik mused silently to himself. He was regretting the decision to come here.


    Overhead, helicopters, both news media and military, flew around, interspersed with an occasional Super or two.


    Somehow, weirdly enough, the freedom of movements for regular folks was not limited at all, leading Erik to believe that the arrests were actually targetted to certain individuals only. It seemed like cops and feds were taking advantage of the situation and arresting everyone they suspected of having criminal ties.


    But somehow, the trio made out of that maelstrom and arrived before Cleo''s home unscathed. Erik was glad about that, at least.


    Lei checked her iPod as she intercepted a piece of intel and tapped Erik on the shoulder to inform him.


    ¡°Looks like they now know we''re in the city.¡±


    Erik grimaced slightly, before nodding his head in understanding. ¡°Probably one of our guys is trying to warn us. No way the CO of the unit, knowing your abilities, would make the chatter available on-air. We should be thankful for the heads-up.¡±


    Lei nodded in agreement before returning to the iPod. Erik lightly grasped her arm and led her across the street and stood by Cleo.


    The overeager girl was excitedly jabbing at the door bell but even after several buzzes went by, no one answered the door. This made Cleo frown in worry.


    ¡°They are okay, right? They gotta be.¡±


    Cleo was about to pound on the door, but Erik quickly stepped forward to calm her down. Otherwise, with her exaggerated strength, she''d break the damn house down in no time at all.


    ¡°Take it easy, Cleo. Your family should be fine. Just relax, okay? It''s Sunday, so they could be at the church or something.¡±


    She shook head fiercely. ¡°No, well, yeah. They were Catholics but... hmm.¡± She pursed her lips in displeasure but returned to buzzing the doorbell repeatedly.


    Finally, there was a sign of life, a stir of movement.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Hold your horses, I''m coming. I''m coming, already!! Jesus Christ.¡±


    A loud, irritated voice of a man came from behind the door, the sound of locks being undone. Cleo''s face immediately brightened. It was pretty vague, but she could sort of remember the owner of this voice.


    She was having a hard time trying to reign in her excitement, almost jumping up and down on the spot. It had been nearly ten years since she last saw her family, so she had every right to be like this, of course.


    When the door swung open, an unkempt Italian man in his mid-forties appeared, looking somewhat peeved off. He scratched the stubble on his chin and with annoyed eyes, he glanced at Cleo.


    ¡°What the... hey, what do you all want now? I ain''t buying whatever you''re selling.¡±


    The man seemed confused and irritated. But the defiant attitude was present and correct, ready to start a verbal assault if it came down to that. Even though the man had a long Saturday night playing poker with his pals, he had the mental wherewithal to trade insults if it need be.


    ¡°Uh... Are you Tony Costanza? You are, right?¡±


    Cleo asked, her voice trembling softly.


    ¡°Yeah, that''s me. And you are?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Tony? It is... really you, right?¡±


    Cleo choked up and her big eyes all watered up. Shaking like a leaf in the storm, she ran into the man''s chest and began crying her eyes out.


    Of course, Tony Costanza was shocked at this sudden turn of events. He helplessly looked over at the crying girl, thinking there was something familiar about her but wasn''t quite sure. For a moment there, he wondered whether his past dalliances with loose women had netted him an illegitimate kid that he didn''t know of. He glanced at Erik and Lei, asking for an explanation, but they just smiled back apologetically and didn''t say a thing.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Hey, hey, calm down, kid. What''s going on here?! Who are you?¡±


    Dazed and confused, Tony Costanza tried to gauge the situation. He grabbed Cleo''s shoulders and separated the crying girl from his chest.


    Seeing her face up close, Tony thought this girl was seriously familiar to him. Too damn familiar, in fact, and his heart began racing at the possibility. It was a tiny possibility, but... could it be?


    ¡°Uncle Tony, it''s me. It''s Cleo!! I''m back home!!¡±


    ~


    ¡°Mister Vanguard, the plane is about to land. Please be seated and don''t forget to put your seatbelts on.¡±


    Vanguard was deeply submerged in meditation but snapped out at the polite words of the pretty flight attendant. She gently touched his shoulder and smiled warmly.


    The burly, luchador mask-wearing Super nodded his thanks and got up from the plane''s floor. Finding a seat for himself wasn''t so hard, as the private aircraft was pretty much empty to begin with. Buckling up, he glanced around the plane''s interior.


    Besides himself, there were three other members of the Guild of Heroes, all heading to the city of New York.


    For the event of this magnitude, more active members should''ve been recruited, but due to the time constraints as well as the prior engagements, this was the best the Guild could organize for this trip under such a short notice. Of course, those based in New York or the surrounding area were already doing their best over there. This plane was taking those Supers active along the Pacific Coast, like Vanguard, for instance.


    As the schedule opened up, more Supers would be flooding into the city, helping to locate the criminal responsible for killing thousands of innocent civilians in JFK.


    Vanguard had all the confidence in the world that the villain would be caught before long, but worryingly, he could not shake off this nagging premonition of bad things to come. He just couldn''t ignore it, or get rid of this troubling feeling no matter what he tried.


    He had no supernatural powers of precognition. He was a fighter, a brawler, a straight-laced man who did his talking with fists until his untimely retirement.


    But his instincts, built up over the years after years of surviving numerous, dangerous, life-or-death situations, were telling him that what happened in the airport was just simply the beginning. That there was an even worse event looming on the horizon.


    This thought alone scared him. And it took a lot to scare the big man.


    That was why Vanguard was on this plane. He voluntarily came aboard, revoking his retired status temporarily so he could participate in the hunt for the villain. He figured that the sooner the bastard was apprehended the better. Maybe then, his unease would let up.


    ¡°What are you thinking about, my friend?¡±


    Vanguard turned his head over to the next aisle and met the gazes of another Super accompanying him: Blast Storm, another legend in the annals of GoH. And the Superhero community in general.


    He too wore a mask like Vanguard, but his was a lot simpler in design, foregoing style for practicality instead. The portions for the eyes were covered in dark gray mesh made of special material that could protect his vision against most attacks. There was a small device attached to the left of the mask, connected to the nose that filtered the air entering his lungs. To his right year, a communication device that could connect to the internet as well as record high-def videos.


    A highly respected veteran of the Guild of Heroes, and only shy of Vanguard''s in the number of years in public service, Blast Storm was regarded as one of the most significant Superheroes of this era. He had battled countless Supervillains, saved numerous lives and possessed enough scars as the proud trophies of his deeds. His ability to control tempestuous winds was known as one of the most versatile in the world as well.


    He and Vanguard had built up a good friendship after going through so much danger together. They even knew each other''s real identities, something that was seen as a taboo subject among the Super community.


    Vanguard sighed and shook his head.


    ¡°I''d like to say it''s nothing, but.... hmm. Honestly speaking, I feel uneasy about this whole situation. It feels like... we''ve overlooked something important here. My apologies. It''s difficult to articulate properly....¡±


    Blast Storm nodded and rubbed his chin, his voice sounding contemplative.


    ¡°Mm. I agree that something does feel off about this case. If he was a regular villain out to plunder wealth from the populace, then he''d not make the mistake of announcing his arrival like that. What did performing such a grand act get him? The whole world has come down to the city just to find him. Does this mean either he doesn''t care about getting caught, or has so much confidence in not getting caught at all?¡±


    While listening to Blast Storm''s musings, Vanguard picked up the GoH-issue tablet PC and browsed through all the notifications, hoping to see if the Guild was able to track down the origins of the villain.


    There was nothing important, only some status updates from the guys on the ground inside the city. Did this mean Blast Storm''s conjecture was correct? Vanguard frowned slightly as the bad premonition grew a little bit larger.


    The Supers had cordoned off the strategic sites within New York City that could serve as potential targets. These included the 9/11 memorial, the city hall, Wall Street, Federal Reserve Bank, the stock exchanges, United Nations and various other infrastructure facilities such as communication, traffic control and electricity supply. Museums and monuments were protected by the police and the National Guard as they were seen as less risky targets.


    Vanguard then checked on the detailed satellite map of the New York City. Seeing the density of the streets, the number of people living in them, as well as all the available exits, made him wonder whether it was possible to find the villain in this labyrinthine city. There was just no way to plug up every little hole out there, no matter the number of soldiers deployed.


    ¡°We know nothing about what he wants, so all we can do is to close the net and ferret him out in the open,¡± said Blast Storm, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°We have the correct personnel sweeping through the neighbors one by one, so sooner or later, we will hear about it. I won''t tell you to relax, my friend ¨C but stay sharp. You haven''t been riding the rodeo for a while so you could have gotten rusty.¡±


    Vanguard chuckled bitterly and sighed. ¡°Indeed. I have tried to keep the fitness level up, but man, my bum knee still gets in the way every now and then.¡±


    The plane bucked a little as it met turbulence. Vanguard exchanged glances with Blast Storm, waiting to see if there was a need to act but the plane soon stabilized and the smooth flying resumed.


    Too bad, he still felt uneasy at what was waiting for him in New York.


    ~


    Meanwhile, Jack was standing inside the red pyramid, cautiously studying the space around him.


    He thought that it all looked kind of.... normal, really. As normal as an underground pyramid could possibly be. Passing through the mouth of hell AKA the entrance was just as anti-climatic, although he didn''t know what he was expecting there to begin with, anyway.


    The inside of the pyramid was.... a fairly spacious stone chamber, pretty much one might expect after checking out the pyramid''s exterior. There was not much to distinguish it from any other stone structures ever made in the history of the mankind. It was just a stone chamber with a pointed ceiling. That was it.


    However, there were two things of note, demanding that Jack should pay attention to their presence here.


    One of those was a huge, bright red crystal emitting eerie glow right in the middle of this stone chamber. Thanks to the glow, the chamber was lit in ever-so-slightly sanguine hue. Not that he really needed the crystal to see where the hell he was, since the survival suit''s helmet featured night vision. He wouldn''t trip on his feet for being as blind as a bat.


    Besides that oddity, there was a pedestal right next to it. There was a clear crystal the size of a person''s hand residing on top.


    Jack walked closer to the giant red crystal and carefully looked at its glossy surface. It sure looked expensive, but he couldn''t readily tell what the hell it was made out of. Not that such a thing mattered anyway. But he did feel some kind of strange but familiar reaction coming off of it, greatly feeding his curiosity.


    Jack crouched down to study the platform the crystal sat on. He spotted many elaborate carvings on the surface surrounded by symbols and runes which were completely foreign to him. Not even the fragmented memories of Gilgamesh could help him decode what was written here.


    The carvings were of monsters and deity-like beings but without context provided by the accompanying text, it was hard to tell what they all meant.


    Giving up for now, Jack stood back up and studied the red crystal again. He got real close to the surface, his visor almost touching it. Then he saw it, and couldn''t help but gasp out aloud in surprise.


    He definitely saw red souls swirling inside the crystal. Not just one either. Even though the interior of the damn thing was murkier than mud, Jack could still see the incredible spectacle of innumerable souls swimming without direction.


    What the.... Is this crystal made up entirely of red souls? Seriously? Wait, if I absorb all these red souls, could I be as strong as Cleo physically? Well, I guess there''s only one way to find out.


    Jack closed his eyes and tried to recall the sensation when the red souls entered him in the past. He was mimicking that feel, to trigger a reaction from the souls trapped within the crystal.


    But there was nothing. Even though he could recall those sensations quite vividly, he couldn''t attract the souls towards him.


    Hmm, did I do something wrong? Jack mused quietly to himself. Or I can''t absorb them just yet until I... uh, activate this pyramid?


    Unable to come to a satisfying conclusion, he gave up trying to figure it out for now and decided to study the rest of the chamber. Maybe he''d get an inspiration from doing other things unrelated to the souls.


    There was a metal crater that was similar to the one that held the survival suit but small enough for a single person to carry it unaided. It was placed right beside the red crystal and could not be missed even if he tried. The word ¡°rations¡± was written on the side, so Jack was pretty certain what was inside. There was no need to crack open the lid just yet so he ignored it.


    That left the pedestal as the last object for him to study. Jack observed it closely, but this item was as unremarkable as they came. No visible carvings or markings on the surface, no ancient runes and symbols and nothing particularly eye-catching, other than that clear crystal.


    When Jack got nearer, that crystal began to emit a weak glow. He thought that it was trying to entice him into touching it.


    Well, here goes nothing.


    Gulping slightly in anticipation, Jack slowly touched the crystal, depressing it slightly. Since he was wearing the survival suit, he couldn''t feel the texture against his palm but he guessed it could be cold and smooth, just like how a quartz should be.


    As soon as Jack''s fingertip touched the crystal, he felt a minute amount of energy leave him and enter the pedestal. He took several dozen steps back, getting ready for whatever, but initially, there was nothing.


    He waited with bated breath for a few more seconds, until the huge red crystal suddenly began to vibrate, letting out an ear-splitting screeching howl as it did so.


    The whole pyramid began to spin clockwise on its vertical axis. The speed gradually picked up, until Jack felt like he was standing in the middle of a wildly out-of-control merry-go-round. It was quite dizzying even with his heightened perceptions. If he stopped concentrating on the moving walls, he could bear the burden, at least.


    Jack also spotted the wisps of red energy escaping the crystal and beginning to permeate the air. Jack realized that this might be a good chance to start absorbing the red souls, so he again concentrated doing just that.


    Usually, he didn''t have to do much to absorb the souls as they came towards him on their own accord but this time, it was different. There was a strange, unseen suction force that actively repelled Jack''s attempts. Before he knew it, a tug of war unfolded between him and this unseen force, trying to cease control of the valuable red souls.


    As he was about to eke out an upper hand, he heard a threatening growl from somewhere, and an illusory figure of a bizarre monster suddenly materialized right in front of him. Not literally in front of him, per se, but close enough to take him by surprise.


    Jack stiffened as the monster took a swipe at him. He just couldn''t react in time and so, when the monster''s front paw struck him, it left him utterly unprepared.


    Jack was flung backwards, feeling like all his innards were tumbling out of place. He was worried about colliding with the spinning walls of the pyramid, but to his amazement and relief, the diameter of the world he was trapped in expanded like a balloon filling up with air. The stone chamber became as big and wide as the open underground area where the pyramid was located ¨C maybe even wider than that.


    Jack landed safely well before the spinning walls. The ground was as hard as he expected, and the suit did its job of negating a lot of the impact. Although he felt like spitting out either blood or vomit, he resisted the urge like a champ. As he was wearing a helmet, he had to. It''d do him no good if his precious vision was blocked off by his own blood on the visor, after all.


    Jack got up while calming his aching chest and observed the creature in front of him. Good thing it didn''t pack much power, or he''d been a dead meat by now. The chest plate of the survival suit was undamaged too. Breathing in deeply to make sure there was no hidden pain in the chest, he accessed the PDA''s functions. A metal baton as long as a forearm was released from the holding rack located on his back. He grasped it firmly and stared at the creature.


    The illusory monster looked like a cross between a brown bear and a wolf but bizarrely, it lacked eyes, instead thick fur growing over where the eye sockets should have been. Perhaps to compensate, the creature possessed massive ears which were as long as that of a rabbit''s. These ears constantly shifted around, searching for its prey via the slightest hint of noise.


    Now, what should I do here?


    Contrary to his own expectations, Jack wasn''t exasperated. He was just curious. Did he need to attack the monster? Did he need to defeat it? Or was the thing only here because he engaged in the tug of war for the red souls? If he continued, then would it become hostile?


    Jack figured that the monster was already as hostile as it could possibly get, so not fighting it was a whimsical nonsense. He needed to defeat it without a doubt.


    Even though it seemed illusory, the monster''s attack landed on him, so conversely, his own attacks should land on it, but there was no guarantee on that. Could he risk a full-on frontal assault?


    Well, the monster made the choice clear for him. It snarled at his direction before pouncing on him.


    Jack''s eyes sharpened like a blade, and he dodged to his left, all the while carefully observing how the creature moved. He dodged for a few minutes while maintaining his concentration and found it easy enough to predict the path of this monster. It was simple and repetitive.


    Now that he had read the pattern, it was time to return the earlier favor. The monster growled and pounced again in the predicted manner and Jack easily dodged out of the way. Then, he slammed his baton at the abdomen of the creature. He felt a solid connection, a heavy weight of the monster. It felt good.


    Jack grinned in satisfaction as the creature was flung away in the impact. But his smile disappeared soon after realizing that the monster''s flight trajectory would result in it crashing into the red crystal, thereby destroying it and that he was helpless to change this outcome.


    But to his immense relief, a pale curtain of light suddenly fell around the perimeter of the crystal and blocked the flying body of the monster, repelling it away. The poor thing bounced on the ground a couple of times before coming to a halt, looking like a discarded rag.


    A barrier, huh? Right, McLean and Mylorne did mention there was a safe zone around the crystal. That must be it.


    Jack nodded in understanding. Now he wanted to find out a few things about this safe zone, such as whether he could enter it during the heat of the battle or not, whether there were conditions attached to the monster entering it, stuff like that.


    The bear/wolf hybrid monster teetered on its legs, struggling to stand straight. Blood dripped from its jaw, showing the level of damage it had suffered. Jack knew, instinctively, that he had struck a vital part of the creature. Didn''t feel like he had landed a lucky shot, though. No, it was more like a deliberate attack on the weak point of the creature after observing it and studying it for a while.


    Jack was quite sure that a couple more hits there, and the thing would die. He clenched his fist tightly. His adrenaline was running high. He was feeling excited and alive again. This was a terrific feeling. He wanted this feeling to stay with him for a lot longer. Much longer. The thrill of the battle was beckoning him and he wanted to taste it, savor it.


    With a ferocious grin that couldn''t be witnessed by anyone, Jack raised the baton and got ready. It was time to attack from the front.


    He dashed forward. In a matter of split seconds, he was in front of the tottering monster. Jack struck the side of its head with the most powerful swing he could muster. He felt bones snap under the load.


    The monster was blown away again along the ground. Jack didn''t sit around enjoying the fruit of his labor just yet, following the creature to its end and lashing out another powerful blow, solidly connecting with the crown of the monster.


    He heard a sickening sound of bones cracking apart. Brain matters of the monster flew about as it slammed into the ground. It twitched for a few seconds, before dying. It dissolved into a mass of red souls, which immediately shot towards Jack, entering his body.


    Only then, did he fully gain the understanding of what was going on here.


    There was a certain force acting within this pyramid. It used the red souls trapped in the huge crystal to create monsters. If Jack defeated one, then he''d be able to absorb the souls and get stronger. He hadn''t had the chance to test out how the safe zone worked yet but if his hunches were correct, then he could escape there when faced with insurmountable danger.


    Of course, the quandary of accessing the Soul Sphere without falling asleep remained, something he had to resolve as soon as possible.


    Mylorne said that I needed to train on using the souls without sleeping, but how am I supposed to do that, I wonder?


    Jack glanced around, but there was nothing else besides the red crystal, the pedestal, the crate and the crazily spinning walls, which had magically contracted back to their original diameter as he walked closer to the curtain of light. He couldn''t touch the curtain, but had no trouble entering it. It seemed like he was allowed to enter, just that it was unclear whether he could during the battle. Well, he''d find out as soon as another monster showed up.


    However, there was nothing. No monster appeared.


    Hold on, what''s going on here?


    Jack remained puzzled as he continuously glanced around, wondering what he should do now. The heads-up display inside the visor showed that it''s been almost five minutes since his battle with the monster. Enough time had passed by for another one to show up.


    Hmm. Do I need to play another tug of war with the red crystal and the unseen force? Or should I wait for longer? Hold up. Maybe I am supposed to use this time to rest up and get ready for the next round. A break, eh? That''s a reasonable assumption, right?


    It made sense to think that way; otherwise, he''d be stuck in a revolving battle of attrition where he wouldn''t even have time to relieve his bladder, never mind replenishing his energy levels.


    The set up of this pyramid reminded him of a training chamber designed to let the participants experience real combat without facing too much danger or too hard a difficulty.


    If that''s the case, then who built this thing?


    Since he couldn''t recognize the runes below the red crystal, Jack felt fairly confident of the fact that this ancient structure wasn''t related to Gilgamesh in any shape or form. But other than that, he had no other clue. Maybe, after leaving here, he could ask Mylorne Akkad about it.


    The things about the cave paintings bothered him too. Surely, there was something in those depictions that could shed light on the mysteries of this structure. But it wasn''t really important right now, so as soon as he sensed yet another wisp of red soul emerging from the crystal, he pushed the matter to the back of his mind.


    In the HUD display, ten minutes had passed. And another illusory monster was taking shape just outside the safe zone. It was the same creature as the one before, but Jack felt that, somehow, this one was slightly stronger. Something about its aura gave off a more dangerous feeling.


    He tensed up and slowly raised his dukes. A ten-minute break between each deadly encounter ¨C seemed like a bum deal, but well, it was what it was.


    The creature snarled at Jack as if daring him to come out and dance with it. How could he refuse such an invitation? A ferocious grin returned to his lips as he slowly stepped out of the curtains of light.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 19: The Reunions

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 19: The Reunions</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    The private airplane owned by the Guild of Heroes landed on Newark airport, West of New York. The number of flights going in and out of the city had been limited since the launch of the manhunt and a portion of the airport''s real estate was taken up by the National Guard for the express purpose of setting up a temporary base of operations. The Guild, or often abbreviated by the public as GoH, was one of the parties ¡°cooperating fully¡± and had set up their own base here as well.


    The normally-busy airport full of tourists and businessmen, was now playing home to packs of military personnel and journalists looking to get a scoop of a lifetime. As Vanguard and his company descended from the plane, the male representative coming over to guide them warned the group not to talk to anyone outside of their circle.


    There was no need for such a warning, though, as they were already familiar with the score. Speaking to a member of the press, even if it''s so-called off the record, would only be detrimental in delivering a controlled, unified message at a later time.


    Not to mention, Vanguard didn''t need to hear such a warning as he had received extensive media training. He wouldn''t make the gaffe of saying stuff he should not say in front of unrelated people.


    Vanguard, Blast Storm and the one other Super, a woman named Blue Solstice, were guided to the hangar occupied by the Guild of Heroes, located on the outskirts of the airport specially arranged for them.


    Vanguard took a glance at Blue Solstice, his eyes slightly narrowing. She was an enigma, even to the high-ups in the Guild. She never spoke more than three words, always worked alone, and the extent of her powers was also a mystery. Blast Storm didn''t seem to care much, though. To the wind-wielding Superhero, as long as one was an ally, it was all good, frosty personalities be damned.


    The three including the guide remained largely silent as they walked to the hangar, keeping out an eye for any rat scurrying about. The distance between the runway where the plane landed and the hangar itself wasn''t much, but it paid to be cautious regardless of the surroundings.


    The building was heavily guarded by the private soldiers employed by the Guild, called the Peacekeepers, and low-level Supers as well as high-tech security systems custom-made by the Guild''s technicians.


    The reason for the extra level of security was simple. Inevitably, there would be sensitive information attainable only by those in the loop, and for the reasons of national security and stability, they were obviously kept out of the public domain. It wouldn''t do good if any of them was leaked ahead of time while not under the careful control, after all.


    The temporary base for GoH in Newark airport was set up to facilitate quicker response to the Superheroes cooperating with the search for the JFK mass murderer. The idea was that there would be a simple chain of command here that directed intelligence to the Supers on the ground.


    And when the need arises, the command would then efficiently dispatch a rapid-response team that was tailor-fitted for the crisis at hand. It was how the military did things, but the crucial difference was, the troops were comprised of low-to-mid level Supers, connected via a powerful communication network so the flow of information was far more succinct and smoother.


    The interior of the hangar was divided into several areas. One was reserved for a debriefing, the other as the loadout where the response team could be outfitted on a short notice, a rest area with beds and showers, and finally, the command center where almost all of the action taking place was being monitored and guided by the well-trained personnel.


    The Guild owned several military-grade satellites graciously funded and sometimes provided free of charge by many benefactors, such as Mylorne Akkad and other wealthy industrialists. They nearly had no reason to rely on the U.S military to provide the real-time bird''s eye view into the city.


    As Vanguard was brought in here, he could more or less survey the lay of the land through the multiple large projections set up in the middle of the command center. One of them was a three-dimensional map of the five boroughs. He nodded slightly after checking out the movements of all the Supers and the police force. The National Guard troop''s movements were relayed a little later, perhaps a sign of information flow not being as smooth as it could be.


    There were several familiar faces as well as ones Vanguard didn''t immediately recognize in the command center. Of course, he offered warm, diplomatic greetings and encouragements to all of them as he walked past. He was like a perfect politician, aiming to get re-elected for his position. Of course, Vanguard wasn''t like that, but after years of doing nothing but PR work ensured such a behavior would be ingrained deep down to his bones.


    He saw the emotions displayed by the members of the Guild here, almost all of them not Supers and thus not possessing powers, and they were that of concentration, focus, dedication and belief.


    Seeing those mixed bags of steely faces, Vanguard felt reassured. They would surely catch the culprit of the massacre sooner rather than later. But that warm, fuzzy feeling ran into a cold, impassable wall soon after, in the skeptical face of a masked Superheroine, Mercury Retrograde, who blocked Vanguard''s and Blast Storm''s path.


    ¡°I heard you were coming over, Vanguard. Doubt you''ll be much of a help, though. Shouldn''t have bothered to come here, unless you were planning to get some of us hurt.¡±


    She said with ice in her voice, her deep gray eyes narrowing as she blocked Vanguard''s path. Her tight fitting silver armor seemingly barely containing her resentment of the big luchador mask-wearing former Superhero.


    ¡°It''s been a while, Miss Mercury,¡± Vanguard coolly nodded at her, choosing to not to respond to her provocation.


    Blast Storm cut her off as he stepped out. ¡°Cut it out, will you? We are on the same team. Don''t forget that.¡±


    She snorted coldly, before turning on her heels. ¡°Well, whatever. At least you should be useful for talking to the press and saving us the bother, so that''ll be nice.¡±


    Vanguard sighed inwardly, watching her walk away. That was not a very pleasant reunion, one he definitely could do without. Seeing his friend somewhat distressed, Blast Storm firmly grasped his shoulder and spoke wryly to loosen up the tension.


    ¡°That woman is never going to forgive you, isn''t she?¡±


    ¡°Can you blame her? I couldn''t save her husband, after all.¡±


    ¡°Still with that?! Hey, listen here, man. You did the right thing. No one here is blaming you for the choice you made that day. It was either one Super who signed up for this sh*t knowing the risk, or the truckload of powerless civilians dying a horrible death. You made the correct call. So, stop beating yourself over it.¡±


    Vanguard smiled ruefully, while recollecting that very important moment when his career veered off to the left. Unconsciously, he reached down and massaged his damaged knee ¨C the scar of that day, the unwelcome reminder of that difficult choice he had to make.


    Blast Storm sighed. ¡°Look, if you''re still bothered by it, think of it this way ¨C you''ve paid penance with your leg. You had to retire early. That should be good enough, no? Being a Superhero was all you ever wanted to be and you paid the price for the choice you made. So, there. Now, let''s get going.¡±


    Vanguard nodded silently. Some might say those words uttered by Blast Storm may have bordered on being insensitive, but Vanguard appreciated these kinds of talks. They were coming from a man who also made numerous difficult decisions almost daily, a man who didn''t lack empathy or sincerity. Blast Storm was a reliable friend who''d set him straight if Vanguard''s boat rocked unsteadily against the winds for whatever the reason might be.


    Blue Solstice watched the interactions with the emotionless face, before silently walking away. Vanguard and Blast Storm briefly thought about stopping her but then decided not to. She''d have her own reasons for separating from them.


    ¡°Good day to you both. Thank you for joining us here at such a short notice.¡±


    A cool, professional voice greeted them from behind the two Supers, drawing their focus. It was from Emma Gilberts, in charge of assigning roles. She was, just like the most of the command center staff, not a Super but her ability to perform terrifyingly menial administrative jobs like clockwork was verging on being a supernatural ability in itself. Vanguard seriously admired her for that alone.


    She was dressed rather smartly in a two-piece business suit, her short blonde hair pulled tightly back. A pair of frameless glasses sat high on her nose and a multi-channel radio with a mic was firmly affixed to her right ear. She carried thick files in her arms.


    ¡°Please, follow me to the debrief,¡± said Emma as she handed out those thick files to Vanguard and Blast Storm.


    They followed her to the partitioned debrief room. As expected, it was sparsely furnished, only with a round table and a set of chairs around it. A projector and a whiteboard with aerial photos of the city clipped on were the other fixtures present here.


    After sitting down, the two browsed through the files and saw that these papers contained all the reports of what had conspired up until now. Still, Emma offered commentary for a quicker summarisation.


    ¡°We had received new updates after those files were printed. Now we have a name and a face to go along with all the material evidence collected on site.¡±


    Vanguard and Blast Storm looked up from the files and at Emma''s cold but beautiful face.


    ¡°The target''s name is Nico Gavalas, 36, a Greek national.¡±


    She pointed with a slim remote at a white wall and a projection of a smiling man appeared there.


    ¡°His background is being compiled as we speak, but so far, no history of Super activities, no history of known criminal affiliation and his past behavior seems to check out as that of a regular citizen. The facial recognition software had matched the face in the security footage to this Nico Gavalas from the passenger manifests submitted by the airlines. It''s a 90% match ¨C as good as we''ll ever get.¡±


    Vanguard nodded as he flipped through the files. ¡°Says here that the searches of Queens and Brooklyn area are now complete, that they haven''t located the target. How far along are we now?¡±


    ¡°The scanning of Staten Island should be completed by now. Manhattan and the Bronx are still ongoing. The cops and Feds have encountered something of resistance from the locals in the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn, so that''s why it''s taking some time to sweep them all, while on the island of Manhattan itself, there are a lot of shadowy places to hide even if it''s geographically boxed in.


    ¡°To be safe, we are also conducting a thorough search of Jersey City as well.¡±


    Blast Storm browsed through the file but half way in, he simply chucked the document on the table and leaned back in his chair.


    ¡°Okay, what are we looking at here? Because to me, this whole thing smells like a pile of a sh*tstorm, rolling down the mountain side and ready to sucker punch us in the ass. The NYPD, the Homeland Security, the FBI, the National Guard and us, all jockeying for a position here, am I right? Just how bad is the level of cooperation? Are we sharing, if any, useful info between us and them?¡±


    ¡°We are sharing enough,¡± replied Emma. ¡°No jockeying going on here, Mister Storm. But truth be told, there are things only we can do. Likewise, there are some matters we can not get involved in.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess, the brass chose not to butt in, am I right? The NYPD and the FBI are using the excuse of finding this guy, this Nico whatever, to crack down on the local wise guys, am I right? Don''t even deny it, Emma. And what''s the Homeland boys up to? Are they looking into one of those ever-elusive terrorists gathering hot spots again, saying that a Greek national might blend in with the local immigrant population since they all kind of look alike?¡±


    Blast Storm didn''t mince his words. Vanguard thought that he was getting heated up at the wrong person, but to her credit, Emma didn''t show any signs of getting flustered.


    ¡°There are, certainly, movements like as you have described, but it is the prerogative of the local law enforcement to act as they see fit. Well, look at it this way, Mister Storm. If the bad elements are weeded out in this increase of proactivity by the authorities, then our jobs might get just a little easier overall.¡±


    Blast Storm snorted derisively and waved his hands. ¡°Okay, whatever. So, what''s our role here? Both of us are not what you''d call subtle types, investigating around and all that stuff. Well, maybe Vanguard can, but I know me, and I can''t sit around doing that. Not my style.¡±


    Emma sighed softly. ¡°It''s good that we have you two on board. Mister Vanguard will be tasked to liaise with other agencies invested in this manhunt as well as to engage with the media, while Mister Storm will ride shotgun with a team ready to deploy in a couple of hours.¡±


    Vanguard sat forward in alarm. ¡°Wait a minute. That''s not what I agreed to do when I signed up for this mission. I''m still a Super, Emma, and I came here to find the villain, not to play a dress-up in front of a camera, no matter how many times I''ve done it for the Guild until now.¡±


    ¡°I understand your feelings, Mister Vanguard, but it is true that you are not medically cleared for a full active duty. I''m sorry, but you have to be on the reserve roster in case the extra assistance is required. This is the best way for you to help us right now.¡±


    Vanguard felt like slamming down on the table in frustration but held back. He might break the poor furniture if he did that. Instead, he took a deep breath to calm himself.


    A slight hiss from Emma''s earpiece broke the tense atmosphere in the room. She responded to the call and listened attentively for a long while before informing Vanguard and Blast Storm to the contents of the call.


    ¡°Okay, a new update. Our man, Nico Gavalas, does not have a history. He''s clean, confirmed as a non-Super civilian. No powers, no prior special forces or tactical assault training. But he is being flagged by the Greek police and Europol as a person of interest in an ongoing investigation over there, for the deaths of multiple known criminal syndicate members.¡±


    Blast Storm frowned. ¡°Huh? Okay, I''m interested. What''s up?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, Nico Gavalas lost his job as a stockbroker after the market collapse. Being out of work and on welfare for almost five years, he found a job as a security guard on an archaeological dig of a recently uncovered underground burial chamber, suspected to be that of Alexander the Great.


    ¡°Last week, the vault where the recovered artifacts were kept, was broken into and men affiliated with a known smuggling ring were found dead within. All personnel involved with the dig are accounted for and interviewed, except for our Nico Gavalas.¡±


    Vanguard sat forward in his chair, thinking that something didn''t make sense here. ¡°He''s not a Super, received no training and yet, was able to take care of a gang of would-be thieves singlehandedly? Even if he was armed, that would take a miracle to pull off. Is this info reliable?¡±


    ¡°Well, the FBI and the Homeland should have received the same information as us, so they are probably trying to verify it,¡± said Emma. ¡°The report here says two items went missing from the vault, and they are a ceremonial golden skull and an ancient stone tablet, thought to be as valuable as the Rosetta Stone. That''s it.¡±


    ¡°A skull and a stone brick, huh? That could explain the reaction of the customs officer. Anyone would freak out when you see a skull as the very first thing inside a bag.¡± Blast Storm slowly scratched his chin as he spoke. ¡°But what I don''t get it is, what the hell is he doing in the States, of all places? If he wanted to fence those stolen items or whatever, couldn''t he hop on a train and head over to the deep recesses of Eastern Europe or the Middle East? Surely, that should be better than coming over here, where the security is a lot tighter.¡±


    Vanguard was curious as well, but there was no one who could answer that question present in the debriefing room, so a contemplative silence dominated the proceedings for a short while until it was broken by yet another soft hiss from Emma''s earpiece. She listened, nodded and turned to the two Supers.


    ¡°Well, looks like there''s something else. NYPD just informed us that there was an incident down at the warehouse district in lower Brooklyn this morning. A local crime boss, Wilhelm Milosevic, was found murdered, along with his men. A dozen or so girls were found, alive, from what looks to be a holding cell of some kind. And the initial investigation has confirmed that Nico Gavalas could be the main suspect. The security footage has matched the face to that of the JFK''s.¡±


    Vanguard and Blast Storm looked at each other.


    ¡°Okay, so that''s a new development. Probably too early to ask, but what the hell is the link here?¡± Blast Storm continued to rub his chin. He narrowed his eyes slightly before nodding his head. ¡°He''s a gangster, right? This Russian-sounding dude. So could he be the buyer for the golden skull and the brick? Paying for the trip and all that, for our man? Then, for some reason, the deal goes sideways, and so as a retaliation, the gangster gets taken out. Hmm. Makes sense to me.¡±


    Vanguard shook his head. ¡°We can''t make any assumptions yet. For one, we don''t know what triggered Gavalas to unleash an attack of that magnitude in JFK. And why he killed the gangster. We need more evidence.¡±


    Emma cut in here. ¡°Perhaps unrelated, but NYPD also reports that Abyss the vigilante was seen leaving the scene with an unidentified young female in tow.¡±


    ¡°Abyss? That crazy guy? He''s not dead yet?¡± Blast Storm chuckled in wry surprise before cranking his neck. ¡°Oh boy. Is this thing getting complicated or what?! That guy Abyss is like a rabid dog. Once he sniffs a scent he likes, he ain''t gonna stop until he bites down on the baddie. But are they related, this Nico what''s-his-name and Abyss? Ah, never mind. You don''t know it yet.¡±


    Emma nodded. ¡°I''m sure NYPD will keep us updated with new info. In the meantime, the Guild President wishes to send a small team over to the warehouse in question. Mister Vanguard, I''ve been told to pass along the message ¨C you''ll be deployed there as the spearhead. Please get ready, as the team will be departing in five minutes. I will brief you on what to expect once you''re ready.¡±


    Vanguard didn''t like it, but since this was better than doing nothing, he reluctantly got up and left the debriefing room. Blast Storm too, got up from his seat to follow his friend, but Emma stopped him.


    ¡°Mister Storm, your presence is required elsewhere. As soon as Mister Vanguard departs, you will be assigned to a new team and head for the South of the Central Park. We will provide you with the coordinates.¡±


    ¡°Why? What''s there?¡±


    Emma waited for a bit before answering. She was waiting to make sure Vanguard was out of earshot. Not because she wanted to, but she was ordered to.


    ¡°There was an unconfirmed sighting of the target in the vicinity only a moment ago. The Guild President wishes you to take a small force and visually confirm it and if possible, track the target.¡±


    ~Stolen story; please report.


    The Central Park was oddly empty this time of the day. Early Sunday morning or not, the world-famous park would host countless New Yorkers wanting to enjoy a bit of sun, each other''s company and fresh air ¨C as fresh as it could be in the middle of one of the most densely packed cities on the planet, that was.


    The main portion of the blame fell mostly on the people trying to avoid the popular gathering spots thanks to the ample warnings from the authority figures. And then, there was the presence of the National Guard troopers, heavily armed police and Supers all over the city that showed this thing was not a drill, not a joke to be scoffed at. Most New Yorkers, while defiant in the face of adversity, were also pretty street smart, so they ably understood the score well enough.


    Besides, this arrangement worked out in favor for those searching for the one suspect, Nico Gavalas. Fewer the number of people on the street, the easier it was to check those still out and about. The more people stayed put in one place, easier to corral and probe for the authorities involved.


    By now, Nico''s identity was out in the open. His face was plastered in many electronic sign boards, local TV stations'' broadcasts and even the front pages of every newspaper on sale.


    Yet, like a strange miracle nobody wanted, not one cop or a soldier or a Super could recognize Nico as he blithely walked past them. No one, and absolutely no one, even took a glance at his way. It was as if he didn''t exist on the same plane as the rest of humanity.


    This greatly increased his enjoyment of the city''s sights and sounds. The daytime possessed a different charm compared to the night when Nico had crossed these streets so it was like walking on a completely new world. And because of his invisibility, no one hassled him, no one tried to mug him, no one tried to stop him and ask him troubling questions.


    It was all so very relaxing. He''d never guessed he''d be able to travel to this greatest city on earth and culturally enrich himself and become a better human being at the end of the day.


    On top of that, when he did decide to interact with the locals, they couldn''t recognize him. Like just now, when he stopped by a food vendor after catching the whiff of a smell that reminded him of home. Well, almost, but reasonably close enough.


    The vendor was selling traditional Greek food, and the one that caught Nico''s fancy was the chicken Souvlaki, chunks of chicken meat in a skewer. Nico just couldn''t go past without sampling it, what with this being potentially the last time he could taste an American version of Greek cuisine. Not that he needed to eat, but the man could indulge himself now and then, no?


    The vendor turned out to be an immigrant from Greece, so the two of them chatted for a while in their native tongue, swapping stories of here and back home. The Souvlaki itself was not as good as Nico''s own mother''s but truth be told, it had been so long, he could barely remember that taste anyway. And the good company meant the meal was one of the best he had in years, so he was quite satisfied with the result.


    After paying the vendor, Nico said his goodbyes and carried on in his way, towards the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There were street lamp-mounted banners loudly announcing the dates of the upcoming exhibition in the world-famous museum. The items of immense value from all corners of the globe, dating back thousands of years in history were to be displayed there and the eyes of the world would be focused here. Accordingly, the security was very tight.


    Even the passing city buses were adorned with the same banners. It was expected that the opening night, the gala event, would be attended by countless celebrities and people in a position of power ¨C although, now that Nico had caused a bit of trouble, it was doubtful just how many of them would show up. Not that Nico cared anyways. Hell, he didn''t care whether the whole exhibition got canceled or not.


    He was after one single artifact, after all. Even if the whole show was canned and the items shelved in storage, he''d still be able to track it down, thanks to the Compass of Wishes in his pocket. With this mythical, unfathomable compass in his hands, there was literally nothing in this world he could not find no matter where it was hidden. Nico''s confidence was totally justifiable, in other words.


    Setting his foot on the 5<sup>th</sup> Avenue, he followed the iconic street down until the imposing gray structure of the museum came to his view. There was a cordon of cops around the steps that led up to the entrance, and to his slight concern, Nico spotted two Supers among them. Besides the flashy costumes, Nico sensed a certain type of undulations from the powers they possessed coming off them, so he knew straight away to be cautious and not to stand out from the crowd.


    They were spot checking people entering and leaving the museum. So the place wasn''t closed to the public, which was good since he didn''t have to force his way through. Saved him from wasting time and energy, really.


    He rifled through his wallet and found exactly $25. He read somewhere that this was the ¡°suggested¡± admission price for an adult. What a stroke of luck it was, him having the exact amount of money in his pocket. Well, he was not worried about running out, though. After he was through here, the concept of a monetary system might collapse altogether, anyway. Or not, but either way, he didn''t have to worry about money ever again.


    He was about to walk straight past the police blockade when he noticed that the cops were searching through almost all the bags people were carrying. He frowned slightly, realizing that this might present a slight problem.


    Nico could walk right past them just fine, but then, his big bag would draw in unnecessary attention. The cops would demand him to open it, and the similar thing as the airport could happen here. Not that it mattered in the grand scheme, but still, he wasn''t sure just how long he''d need to get everything going, so the longer the distraction stay away, the better. He couldn''t really afford to draw attention to himself.


    After mulling his options for a bit, he heard a suggestion from his.... unseen friend, and nodded in delight. Nico then approached the nearest police officer and smiled at him.


    ¡°Hello officer, can I have a moment of your time?¡±


    The uniformed cop looked up and down at Nico, his expression slightly confused. The cop vaguely thought that there was something oddly familiar about this smiling man, but he just could not put his finger on why.


    ¡°Yes, can I help you with something, sir?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I need your help. Please, will you follow me for a second?¡±


    Nico''s suggestion was ludicrous and under the normal circumstances, the cop would have become vigilant, but yet, his words seemed to hold some kind of strange, persuasive power. The cop couldn''t refuse and ended up accompanying him.


    Nico had no sinister motives for the man. All he wanted to do was to simply hand over the gym bag in a place where no one could see them, so the officer could carry it inside the museum for him.


    Since the cop was under the influence of his liege, Nico didn''t have to worry about the spell breaking off in the middle of the deed. The cop carrying the bag went up ahead, while Nico leisurely sauntered up the front stairs of the museum, getting himself checked by the security, all the while smiling warmly like a gentleman that he was.


    The cop handed the bag over as soon as Nico found him waiting by the front help kiosk right in the middle of the Great Hall. ¡°I won''t do this again, so you better ask someone else next time, sir.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much for your help, officer.¡±


    Nico chuckled amiably and saw the policeman leave the museum, none the wiser of what he had done.


    Now that Nico and his bag had safely crossed over, it was time to locate the final object ¨C the ancient Seed to revive one of the six great Trees of the World.


    He looked around and saw that there wasn''t a lot of people here today. The mood of the city probably didn''t allow for visitors to muster up the courage to come and enjoy what this wonderful place had to offer.


    Oh well, it wasn''t like Nico could worry about how they felt right now, when in a matter of few hours, the whole world would be transformed for the better, anyways.


    ~


    Jimmy Costanza and his wife, Connie held their long-lost daughter Cleo tightly and cried. No one present in this family living room thought of stopping this tearful reunion, choosing to stand by the side and quietly watching the scene unfold.


    Erik and Lei both felt really awkward for being here like a pair of sore thumbs sticking out unnecessarily, but couldn''t say anything. No, they had nothing helpful to say. Erik was doing his best to calculate what the future would hold now, while Lei was constantly keeping an eye out for all the communication floating in the airwaves.


    Tony Costanza was also busy wiping the tears off from his face. Most of them were from the tender reunion, but some of them happened to be from the acute pain in his chest when Cleo hugged him. She was way too strong for a regular person, after all.


    Still, he was happy. At the same time, concerned. What the teens told him just now, while waiting for Cleo''s parents to hurriedly return home from their deli, left him dazed and unsure of what to do or say.


    He glanced at Erik and Lei, wondering just how much of the stories told by them could be believed. Ten years of forced captivity and training by the secret government project involving augmented Supers? Sounded like stuff from a cheap, Made-for-TV Friday midnight special. But the aching chest indicated that maybe there was a morsel of truth there, somewhere. He decided not to pry right now, as another chance to deeply delve into the matter should come around soon enough.


    But the implication was serious if the story was proved to be 100% legit.


    Tony groaned inwardly and kneaded his forehead. His worries for the future was reasonable. His side business as the ¡°guy who knows a guy who knows another guy who happens to perform certain things for the right price¡± could be in serious trouble if there were Feds getting involved in the family''s affair. No, it was a given that Feds would get involved. It was a certainty.


    But he''d cross that bridge when it came to that. For now, he would focus on the family being whole again.


    He could remember vividly the day when young Cleo went missing. Didn''t matter she wasn''t his kid, she was a family and her disappearance, an apparent kidnapping from the Elementary school she went to by the fake cops, shook his life pretty badly. He remembered putting up hundreds, thousands of posters with Cleo''s face in black and white all over the damn city, sometimes at 2 o''clock in the night, fighting the effing cold and jeers from the passing drunken frat boys and crap like that.


    That felt like yesterday to Tony. And now, Cleo was in the same house, under the same roof, as him. She sure had changed a lot during the ten or so years she''d been missing, but the odd thing was, she was almost instantly recognizable. Yes, Tony didn''t initially, but that was because of his long night, but Cleo''s parents had no such trouble. They knew they were looking at their missing little girl the second their eyes fell on her.


    Tony mused that it was probably the oft-talked about the blood ¨C or the parental bond in this case ¨C running thicker than pretty much anything, as the old but modified saying went.


    Jimmy and Connie were busy stroking and laughing and talking and crying all at the same time, making for a somewhat difficult conversation. But miraculously, everyone understood what was being said.


    ¡°My god, Cleo, my little baby has grown so much!! God, thank you so, so much....¡±


    Connie held her daughter so close, afraid that if she let go, her little girl would disappear again. Jimmy too was holding his daughter tightly.


    Watching them pouring out their decade worth of grief and anguish, Lei and Erik didn''t feel so good anymore.


    Lei felt pretty especially conflicted, probably more than Erik, because unlike him, she would never get to have a reunion of any kind whatsoever.


    But Erik wasn''t feeling bad because of the reunion that he''d not have, but because of his awareness that the time was running out for them. The Project Dead Kings operatives would be surrounding this house in a few minutes, if they haven''t done that already. They literally had no time to waste reminiscing about the past. They had to move, preferably now.


    He cared not one jot about meeting his deadbeat parents. Gone were the days where he harbored a fierce desire to interrogate his family why the hell they threw him away, but he had gotten over it. It didn''t matter anymore. Probably. There was a bigger fish to fry, and that was ensuring that he''d have a future free from controlling hands of the Big Brother or indeed, anyone else.


    Erik''s impatience was growing. The time was wasting yet the waterworks showed no sign of ending at all. He and Lei had already explained the situation, albeit roughly, to Tony Costanza so at least that wouldn''t eat up the precious minutes, but this, to him, was ridiculous.


    ¡°Hey, Cleo. Mister and Missus Costanza? I don''t want to be that guy, but we don''t have the time here. We should get going. Like, right now.¡±


    Erik''s words were like buckets of ice-cold water pouring over the tender reunion, and was received just as well, too. The Costanza family glared daggers at him, but Erik ignored the stares and stated his position pretty clearly.


    ¡°Like I explained to Mister Tony Costanza over here, we''re being chased by the shady government people. We risked a lot by coming here to bring you guys out of the city before the really serious things happen. So, please, time''s a wasting. We need to leave, now.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?! Who is chasing after you?¡± Jimmy Costanza roared, evidently incensed by the claim. Connie too, was about to raise hell, when Tony hurriedly intervened and laid out the main gist of the story.


    ¡°See, that''s what it is. So, according to these kids, we better get the hell out of this city before that freak JFK villain does something even worse.¡± Tony shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Well, it''s not such a bad idea to leave the city for a day or two, don''t you think? I mean, Jimmy, you wanted to go to Boston, see the Red Sox game at least once in your life, right? This might be a nice timing and all.¡±


    ¡°Jesus, Tony. I''m a Mets guy, and you are busy tempting me with a Sox game? You must be really desperate or something.¡± Jimmy quipped acidly before turning to Cleo. ¡°Okay, hon, honestly, do we really need to go?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Cleo nodded her head while carrying a serious look on her face. ¡°Yeah, there are a bunch of bad people after us. And according to someone, uh, sorta reliable, this city is not safe too. We shoulda go somewhere that''s not Queens.¡±


    Jimmy locked his gazes with his wife, Connie, who returned an understanding nod.


    ¡°Okay, we pack up and go. No problem. We''ll just go and get Junior from the Bible study class,¡± said Jimmy.


    ¡°Eh? Who''s Junior?¡±


    Cleo asked after hearing an unfamiliar name.


    Only then, Jimmy, Connie and Tony''s face color changed, realizing they had made a huge mistake. Even though there was plenty of reminders in the form of multiple family photographs hung around the living room and throughout the house, none of them thought of mentioning this little, albeit significant, development until now.


    ¡°Baby, Junior is your little brother. His name is David. He''ll be eight at the end of this year.¡±


    Cleo was struck speechless, indescribable feeling welling up inside like flood water, until she exploded in a giddy craze. ¡°I have a little brother?!! I need to see him, like, right now!!! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!! Did you hear that, Erik? Lei? I have a little brother!!¡±


    Cleo screamed in happiness and jumped up and down wildly, causing the whole brownstone building to tremble noticeably. The floor creaked and groaned in protest at the undeserved abuse.


    ¡°Hey, hey!! Calm down, Cleo!!¡±


    Erik hastily grabbed Cleo''s shoulders and shook her, hard. Or, at least as hard as he could manage. He used a small bit of his eye power to bring Cleo''s excitement down a notch or two. Erik was the only one in the entire project that could do this with his power ¨C the Eyes of Judgment. It took a lot out of him each time he used it, however, and he refrained from using it often as a result.


    On the other side, the Costanzas were in a complete daze at what just happened to the house. Gulping softly, Jimmy took a long glance at his daughter, before nodding his head. He was fully believing the story now, thanks to that bit of demonstration of Cleo''s Superpower.


    ¡°Connie, babe, get the essential things only. I''ll call the church and the Sister Brenda, tell her that we''re coming to get Junior. Tony, your car''s still in the shop, right? Why don''t you get us a rental? There won''t be a space for everyone in the minivan when we pack it up with luggage.¡±


    Erik shook his head. ¡°We came with our own ride, Mister Costanza. It''s fine. It will take too much time to rent a car.¡±


    Jimmy and Connie sprang to action. They packed the important stuff first, like toiletries, cash, clothes, and jewelry that could be sold later, and Jimmy packed a small caliber revolver as well. A precaution, he said. No one argued, although Connie frowned a little.


    Tony, meanwhile, called the church that held the Bible study group for the neighborhood children, informing them that the family was coming to get Junior, David, early. He also called a few other people, telling them to evacuate from the city as soon as possible.


    The bags were shoved in the back of the old Chrysler minivan in a hurry. Jimmy told his neighbors to evacuate as well as he pulled out of the driveway, heading straight for the church. Cleo rode with her parents, while Tony got in the car Lei commandeered alongside Erik.


    ¡°Hey, let me drive this car. Less chance of the cops stopping us with me in the driver''s seat, am I right?¡±


    Tony said with a matter-of-fact tone. Lei shrugged her shoulders and told him it was fine either way.


    Erik remained vigilant, trying to ferret out anyone threatening them hidden in the shadows, but to his partial relief, there were none. It did add to his unease, however.


    The church was a few blocks away. There were one or two cars on the street, and as if it was a break between the classes, within the church''s fenced ground there were young kids running around, playing and fooling around.


    Jimmy parked the minivan and along with Cleo and Connie, went to the church to get David. Meanwhile, Erik and Lei exited their own car and vigilantly surveyed the surroundings.


    Almost immediately, three black SUVs drove up from nowhere and blocked the road. Several people, kitted out in black, jumped out and glared at Erik and Lei.


    ¡°Oh, crap. So they have caught up with us.¡±


    Erik muttered under his breath, tensing up at the faces staring at him. He recognized almost all of them. He did spend the last ten years with these guys, after all. It''d be worrying if he couldn''t, actually.


    Out of all the familiar faces, one stepped forward. He was tall, handsome, wore the slick sunglasses like a Hollywood action star, a young action star at that, and walked with a certain confident swagger. Not an exaggerated one like something a pro wrestler might do, but more like a star athlete going out to the podium to receive the winner''s trophy.


    ¡°Hey, Erik. Fancy seeing you here,¡± said the tall youth. It was obvious in the way the others were looking at him, that he was the designated leader of the group.


    ¡°Hey to you too, Stu. How''re things?¡±


    Stu shook his head. ¡°I wish you''d stop calling me that. I''m Stewart!! Well, whatever, man. Actually, I''m disappointed in you three, you know? When you left without permission, I thought maybe you''d be smart enough not to show up on the grid anymore. But here you are. This is why you''ll never become a squad leader, Erik.¡±


    Erik shrugged his shoulders, trying to act nonchalantly.


    ¡°I don''t really care about taking away your fancy job from the very beginning, Stu. I thought I made that crystal clear before. But I do care about leaving this city as soon as possible. You don''t mind accommodating us on that front, do you?¡±


    Stewart sighed ruefully. ¡°You know I can''t do that. Orders. We are to bring you in. By force if necessary. You guys did hurt quite a few people while trying to go AWOL, after all.¡±


    The black SUVs blocked the road, and even though it was Sunday, a small amount of traffic built up pretty fast. Irate motorists, who got their paths blocked, let their anger known by honking their horns.


    Of course, the teen Supers present collectively ignored them. The tense atmosphere simply didn''t allow them to do anything else other than stare the other party down. Even the slightest movement from either side could set off a chain of events that might end up troublesome to clean up afterwards.


    ¡°Huh. So, why did you wait until we came to this church? You could''ve come for us back at the Costanza residence.¡±


    Erik asked, trying to buy time as his mind worked overtime to find a way out.


    ¡°I wanted Cleo to see her little brother at least, before taking her in. Because, I got a feeling that once we return, she won''t be seeing them anymore.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how considerate of you, Stu.¡±


    Erik sourly retorted. He had formed a plan in his mind, but wasn''t feeling confident of its success. Stu, Stewart Baxter, was a talented commander and a Super himself. He''d know what to expect from Erik and Lei, and probably came prepared as a result. Erik needed Cleo here if he were to have any hope of breaking out of this barricade.


    However, even before Erik could start implementing his plan, something quite unexpected changed literally everything. Not even the irritated users of the road could scarcely understand what happened next.


    A sudden burst of blinding light from the West, where Manhattan was located, exploded and showered everyone until nothing could be seen.


    Not even Supers were spared from this temporary blindness.


    Erik could barely see, thanks to his specially made glasses that could filter out certain types of naturally-occurring radiation from affecting his eyes. The lenses darkened in an instant and prevented Erik from going totally blind, even if the blindness was only for a few seconds.


    But as soon as he saw what the cause of the explosion of light was in the distant sky, he kind of wished he didn''t.


    Erik felt chills quite unlike any other he felt in his life.


    Something tall and dark, enveloped in the light, shot into the sky, stabbing the blue canopy above like a spike. And even more shockingly, this ¡°pole¡± literally pierced into the sky, cracking and then shattering it open like glass and exposing the starry darkness beyond it.


    The light lessened slowly after that, forming white clouds around this ¡°spike/pole¡± thing. And when people''s eyes returned to being normal, they too could see what Erik had been seeing for a while longer than them.


    A giant black rod, completely made of unknown metal, that was piercing into the heavens.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)


    (My apologies. This chapter was planned for yesterday but I got a little distracted and couldn''t post it. Been having a bit of trouble focusing and sleeping for the past couple of days, and it turns out, my birthday has sneaked on me before I noticed it. It''s this Sunday. However.... I''m not a fan or birthdays. Not lately, anyway.)


    (See, the thing is, when a birthday comes, it means you''re older than the day before. It means that you''re - or in this case, me - getting one step closer to my expiration date. It''s incredibly depressing just thinking about it.)


    (Yeah, I''m getting older, and I don''t like it. It sucks. I really want to go off on a rant here, but I''ll spare you, my readers, from the pain.)


    (Okay, well.... uh, please enjoy the chapter, and if you have any comments, positive or not, please, let me know. Thank you.)

 Red Souls Chapter 20: The Museum

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 20: The Museum</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    This event happened some time before that sudden explosion of light.


    A small team consisting of five Peacekeepers and led by Blast Storm, rappelled down from a gunship helicopter. To differentiate the GoH''s from the ones used by the army, the Guild''s version was painted in deep blue with white stripes running on the side. The famous insignia, In Justice We Strive Forward, and the crest of a caped Superhero standing valiantly with the backdrop of a cityscape were also plastered on all visible sides of the craft. No one would mistake it for anything else.


    Other than that, though, it was still a full-on assault vehicle equipped with many rockets and a powerful minigun.


    After his feet landed on the solid ground, Blast Storm scanned his surroundings. He saw the faces of surprised, panicked civilians, scurrying away to a distance in order to escape the turbulence from the powerful spinning rotors and the gust of wind kicked up by their constant motions.


    He inwardly apologized for the inconvenience. It really couldn''t be helped, since their destination was near a busy intersection and the helicopter had to hover over the grass bank of the Central Park, dropping the Peacekeepers and Blast Storm here in order to not disrupt the traffic flow. There may not be a lot of park goers today because of all the warnings, but still, there were enough around to feel disgruntled by this action. Some would think it was a bit of an overkill.


    Sighing under his breath, Blast Storm raised his head towards the aircraft and buzzed the pilot through the mic.


    ¡°Stay in the vicinity. We might need you to track the target from the air if it comes to that.¡±


    The pilot confirmed his understanding. Blast Storm took some distance and watched the craft rise up, all the while ignoring the continuous flashes of smartphone cameras around him.


    ¡°Okay, let''s move out.¡±


    Blast Storm signaled to five men behind him and led them forward. All the men were also decked out in pseudo-military gear, also painted in blue, sporting the crest of the Guild. Each and every one was well-built, sharp, and trained by the best to react to whatever situation they might face. Wielding powerful semi-auto rifles and carrying communication equipment they followed Blast Storm''s orders without missing a single beat.


    Blast Storm himself was no longer in a civilian clothing, instead fully outfitted in the GoH-designed combat gear ¨C bulletproof vest, several stun grenades, cuffs to arrest the perps and the like.


    Checking the screen of the PDA to reconfirm the coordinates, the team quickly covered the ground. The Peacekeepers ably kept up with Blast Storm''s pace, even though he was the only Super among them, the rest being regular humans.


    The Peacekeepers were given lots of leeways, even though technically they were mercenaries, soldiers hired with wages. In normal times, such an activity would be deemed illegal under the laws of most nations, but the boys and girls receiving monthly cheques from GoH got a free pass.


    Even during the last great World Wars, as long as a merc had the moniker Peacekeeper plastered on his or her vest, it was all hunky dory and above board. Many nations throughout the years wanted to oppose this system, but things didn''t work out for those politicians until now due to various reasons.


    And of course, the numbers written on the paycheque was pretty damn alluring. The health benefits too, were more than attractive as well. Thus, there never was a shortage of former soldiers applying for a position at the Guild as a result.


    The Guild didn''t just hire anyone, though ¨C to be a Peacekeeper, the ¡°compatible¡± personality ¨C meaning no criminal tendencies ¨C was a must, followed closely by the amount and the type of training received. Only the best and the dedicated could serve.


    No wonder, then, that their movements didn''t lose out to Blast Storm''s Super-enhanced speed. Crossing the short distance to arrive at the last known sighting for the target Nico Gavalas was far too easy a job for these guys.


    Once arriving at the intersection, Blast Storm took another quick glance around. He couldn''t spot Nico Gavalas but that was to be expected. Unless the target was standing around waiting for them, there was no way he''d be staying put in one place.


    He sent the hand signal to his men, and as practiced, they separated, each men going over to different locations to question people. Meanwhile, Blast Storm checked the map on his PDA and scoped out all the important landmarks along the 5<sup>th</sup> Avenue.


    There was a handful that caught his eye, the most prominent one being the Metropolitan Museum. A team led by a pretty awesome Superhero named Magnaterran was there already and Storm didn''t hear a word of anything strange happening there, so he looked Southwards, tracing the addresses and trying to suss out how the bad guy might behave.


    He couldn''t help but feel like a fish out of water, however. Blast Storm wasn''t someone who usually went around doing stuff like this, this thing about investigating and tracking and stuff. He was a hitter, a finisher, not a scout. Just by him being here showed how stretched thin the resources of the Guild was at the moment.


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    A radio chatter came over his earpiece after several minutes had gone by. One of the Peacekeepers Blast Storm brought along was trying to get a hold of him.


    ¡°Yeah? You got something?¡±


    ¡°I''m not sure, sir. I got a fast food vendor here who might have talked to another Greek like him. Said the man admitted to being a tourist. But I showed him the pic of our target, and the guy isn''t sure if it''s the same person or not. How do you want me to proceed?¡±


    Hearing this, Blast Storm rubbed his chin for a second before deciding on his next course of action.


    ¡°What''s your position? I''m en route.¡±


    ¡°Three hundred and fifty paces on your four, sir. In front of the subway entrance over at 5<sup>th</sup> and 59<sup>th</sup>.¡±


    Blast Storm was a San Diego native, and so he wasn''t too clued up on the Manhattan''s dizzying network of streets. But, by simply relying on his intuition and nothing else, he somehow didn''t lose his direction and found the man and his query quickly. The smell of Souvlaki wafted in the air as the masked Superhero approached the Peacekeeper.


    ¡°So, that''s the guy, huh.¡±


    Blast Storm perused the worn fast food cart and its operator. All it took was one look and he knew that something was not quite right about this guy. It was as if....


    Storm walked over the vendor and leaned in closer, startling the man.


    ¡°Oh, hey man. You are too damn close,¡± said the fast food operator while slightly backing away.


    Mumbling his insincere apologies, Blast Storm studied the man and noticed a thin hazy veil cast in this guy''s eyes. Looked like some kind of hypnosis, a light one at that. He should know ¨C one of his archenemies was quite proficient at it. Storm lost count the number of times he was attacked by random strangers under the hypnotic suggestion of that Supervillain in the past. His instincts told him that this fast food guy was also under a weak but well-hidden spell.


    Blast Storm leaned back and pulled the image of Nico Gavalas on the PDA, showing it to the food guy.


    ¡°Sir, you sure you haven''t seen this man in the last half an hour?¡±


    The Greek man shook his head. ¡°Like I said to your pal over there, no, I am not sure, sir, uh, Mister Blast Storm.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but you did talk to a guy from Greece, right? What did you two talk about?¡±


    ¡°Uh, well, he bought chicken Souvlaki, we talked about the city, back home, our families, nothing major, really.¡±


    ¡°Okay, which way did he go off to? Can you remember that, at least?¡±


    ¡°Uh, maybe, uh, hmm. Uh, maybe.... um... I was serving other customers, you know? I didn''t really catch where he went off to. My bad.¡±


    Blast Storm narrowed his eyes. Now he felt more convinced than ever. He pointed at one of the skewered meat on the food cart and asked the man.


    ¡°Hey, can I have one of these?¡±


    ¡°Sure, boss.¡±


    As the food guy leaned forward, Blast Storm expertly raised his right hand towards the man''s right ear at the same time and clicked his fingers loudly. The shockwave of air slammed into the inner ear drum of the fast food vendor.


    He shook slightly, his eyes glazing over for a second or two, before clarity returned to the pupils. He looked confused, before recognizing Blast Storm in front of him.


    ¡°Huh? What just happened?¡±


    Blast Storm showed the man the image of Nico once more. ¡°You were under a light hypnosis. I broke it. Now, look at this photo again and tell me if you saw this guy before.¡±


    The food vendor''s eyes focused on the image until a certain gleam began to shine in them. He tilted his head and spoke.


    ¡°Yeah.... I did talk to the guy, but it''s strange, you know? It''s all a blur and I can''t really remember the details.¡±


    Blast Storm impatiently asked the man. ¡°Okay, fine. But which way did he go?¡±


    ¡°I''m pretty sure he went up North ¨C oh, wait a second. He said something about the Met and one of the exhibitions they are going to show off next week. Yeah, I remember that now. I think he was heading over there.¡±


    Storm came in closer at the man, staring deep into his eyes. The hazy cloud of hypnosis was definitely gone; he was speaking the truth.


    Nodding his thanks, Blast Storm recalled all his men and instructed them to head towards the Metropolitan Museum of Art as soon as possible. He also radioed the gunship pilot to head over there and check the place out. Finally, he contacted the command center and updated them on what was happening, requesting for logistics support at the same time.


    There was a bit of distance to cover, but for these muscle-bound men, such a thing was nothing but a trifling matter. In a matter of minutes, they traversed all the way up on foot, not a breath in disarray. The Met building came into view pretty quickly.


    Outwardly, nothing seemed amiss. Blast Storm saw the usual cordon of uniformed cops and the Superheroes sauntering about, checking out civilians entering the museum. But it was too early to feel relieved; now that Blast Storm was aware of Nico possessing some sort of ability to hypnotize, any one of these guys could be under the spell. Hell, maybe even all of them could be affected, which would be of no laughing matter.


    The cops belatedly noticed a bunch of heavily armed men arriving at their position and tensed up for a second, before seeing the figure of Blast Storm leading them. The Lieutenant in charge of the police force came over in a hurry wanting to find out what was going on.


    Magnaterran and the other Super were updated on the status through the transmission from the HQ only a couple of minutes ago. Once they spotted the Peacekeepers and Blast Storm, they came to make a report and confirm.


    Blast Storm hurriedly informed the Lieutenant and the Supers, letting them know there was a possibility that they were subjected to a light hypnosis. He asked if there was anything suspicious that had happened in the last thirty minutes or so, and the answer was as expected ¨C nothing of note happened.


    Storm didn''t ask because he was interested in the answers, though. He was actually checking out the status of the cops while they were giving their answers.


    It didn''t take long before he found the anomaly. Almost every cop present, even including the two Supers, were under a light hypnosis. Out of them, one cop was under a much stronger spell. Blast Storm clapped his hands very loudly to break the mass hypnosis instead of clicking his finger like the last time. There were too many victims, and also they were outdoors, too many background noises and all.


    The cop affected by the strong hypnosis needed a second or two to recover. His face paled visibly as he recounted carrying a suspicious gym bag inside the museum for a person who could very well be Nico Gavalas.


    This was not a good news, never mind a surprising one. Blast Storm hurriedly contacted the command center, informed them what happened and asked for reinforcements that could specifically deal with the powerful hypnosis attacks. Then, he told the Lieutenant to contact the museum''s administrators to evacuate the civilians and close all the exits but no one answered the urgent call.


    ¡°Jesus, something bad is happening inside,¡± said one of the Peacekeepers, his face grim.


    Blast Storm grimaced as well while formulating the next course of action for himself and the boys. The command center explicitly ordered him not to enter the museum until the back-up''s arrival, but he just couldn''t sit idly by and let the innocent civilians suffer when he could''ve done something to prevent that.


    His fingers lightly brushed the ear-mounted communicator. There was a low-level anti-hypnosis frequency generator built within, which was useless against a focused hypnosis attempt but it could block out something like the attacks on the cops and that fast food vendor.


    ¡°Okay. Boys, we''re going in. We get the museum goers out from that place. Mister Magnaterran, I''ll leave the perimeter to you.¡±


    Blast Storm decisively led his Peacekeepers into the museum, almost flying up the famed stone steps to the grand entrance named the Great Hall.


    He expected to cause a stir among the museum goers ¨C after all, they were carrying big guns, their faces were grim and solemn, and on top of that, he was a famous Superhero wearing a scary mask. It''d be weird if no one reacted from all of those factors. He quickly thought of things to say to calm the panicking civilians. It would not do if there were a mass stampede and serious injuries resulting from that. Not only would the human cost unacceptable for him, the resulting paperwork could probably bury him six feet under because of the stress.


    However, whether because of his mind being occupied or due to the clever concealment, Blast Storm and his Peacekeepers failed to notice a very thin golden film when they rushed past the grand doorway.


    ¡°Everyone, please listen up!!¡± Blast Storm shouted out aloud as soon as he stepped into the Great Hall. ¡°My name is Blast Storm from the Guild of Heroes. I believe the suspect wanted in connection with the JFK incident is somewhere within this building. Please cooperate with the Peacekeepers and exit the museum in an orderly fashion.¡±


    Blast Storm prepared himself to deal with the ensuing panic but contrary to his expectations, no such a thing happened. Not one violent or angry reaction, not one word of abuse flew at his way.


    If anything, everyone present in this large space was calm. Way too calm. The confused and dazed looks floated on the faces of the museum goers and the employees at work. Seeing them like this, an inexplicable chill went down Blast Storm''s back side.


    He and the Peacekeepers exchanged the knowing glances. Their fears of mass hypnosis had come true, it seemed.


    ¡°What''s your call, boss?¡±


    One of the Peacekeepers asked him while his eyes darted around the hall, focused and vigilant of even the tiniest hints of suspicious movements.


    ¡°What else? We free these folks and evacuate them outta here,¡± replied Blast Storm. ¡°Okay, let''s do this.¡±


    Gritting his teeth, Blast Storm gathered strength in his arms and was ready to create a powerful shockwave to break the mass hypnosis when a pleasant voice came out of the speakers placed in the hallways.


    ¡°Oh, well. This is a nice surprise. And a good timing too, since I was really running short on quality blood sacrifices. Please, if you are trying to find me, head over to the Near East exhibit. I''m right there, enjoying the view.¡±


    Blast Storm doubted what he heard for a second, before realizing the implications of those words. He turned to his men to order their evacuation first, but the huge, solid doors closed shut by themselves. And right afterwards, several metal security shutters slammed down on them, preventing their escape. Even all the windows were blocked off by metal shutters.


    There was no way out. Unless, of course, the one behind this blockade was defeated.


    ¡°How the hell did he gain the control of the museum?!¡± Another Peacekeeper, a Hispanic man in his early thirties, muttered dazedly.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The nervousness in the eyes of the men rose up a notch. They tried the doors and despaired slightly, knowing that the solid security barrier was designed to withstand Supers with devastating destructive abilities like Blast Storm.


    If the back was blocked off, then in the front, the numerous hypnotized men, women and children could become puppets pulled along on a string. No matter how much one was optimistic, this didn''t look good.


    Blast Storm snorted angrily before clapping his hands loudly. The shockwave spread throughout the Great Hall and all those caught within its radius woke up from the mass hypnosis.


    ¡°A challenge, huh? Fine by me.¡±


    Blast Storm cranked his neck and flexed his muscles. His anger was reaching very high, almost to the extent he''d destroy the walls to get to where Nico Gavalas was hiding.


    ¡°Gentlemen, update the HQ on our status, then try to secure us the exits with the safety of the civilians as our priority. In the meantime, let me go and say hello.¡±


    The Peacekeepers nodded wordlessly and spread out, coming to the aid of the confused and dazed museum goers who were beginning to understand what was going on.


    Not one of the men offered to go along with Blast Storm, however, even though they knew it was dangerous to go alone. In truth, there was very little they could do to help Blast Storm. If anything, they would just get in the way of two high-level Supers duking it out.


    That''s why Blast Storm didn''t even suggest the matter. He just chose to walk right into the den of the lion, trusting in his own abilities to pull through. He was only 50-50 on this, though, thinking that he had a serious monster as his target this time. Not many Supers in this world possessed two vastly different set of Superpowers, one to mass hypnotize a whole bunch of people without seemingly doing anything, and to turn a crowd of people into bags of sand.


    If that wasn''t the very definition of a troublesome opponent, then he''d have no clue what else could be.


    And Blast Storm also recalled that the Russian-sounding gangster was stabbed to death. Meaning, there could be a sharp weapon in the possession of the target as well. Thinking about this, Blast Storm couldn''t help but furrow his brows and click his tongue in irritation.


    As he got in deeper into the museum, his expressions became uglier. The hallway leading up to the Near East exhibit was lowly lit and was eerily quiet. Way too quiet for Blast Storm''s liking, anyhow. It gave off a rather ominous feeling which he didn''t care for, not even for one bit.


    Sure enough, his premonition of bad things came true. In front of the Sphinx-like mock-ups ¨C Blast Storm didn''t know what they were called, nor did he care ¨C he spotted two prone bodies on the floor, unmoving.


    He quickly checked them out, but he knew right away he was looking at corpses. Two security guards and two fatal stab wounds near the heart.


    But the darndest thing was that Blast Storm could not see a single drop of blood, not on the bodies, not on the floor, not on the walls, none at all. This only served to thicken the foreboding in Blast Storm''s heart.


    It''d be a lie to say his instincts of a warrior weren''t getting excited, though.


    A surge of adrenaline was rushing through his veins and he felt really pumped up, every fiber of his being alight with anticipation. Would he be able to face a truly powerful opponent and get to have a showy smackdown? He''d absolutely love that. A battle to end all battles, with the future of a city at stake. An event that''d be talked about for years to come.


    Blast Storm could see only one tiny little issue, and that was the small fact of him surrounded by priceless artifacts and items sourced from all over the world. He didn''t really care what happened to them, but rampaging around here might cause unnecessary administrative bull crap for himself and for the Guild.


    But what choice did he have? The target chose to hole himself in here, so Blast Storm had to go where the fish was in order to get a bite.


    Plus, Blast Storm knew that he couldn''t negotiate with his target to vacate this building and have a go at each other outside. He just didn''t have the gift of the silver tongue for that. So, if a smackdown was to happen, then it was destined to happen anyway. No point in caring too much about it.


    Finally, he entered the exhibit hall. Blast Storm noticed yet more bodies, all in similar condition ¨C stab wounds to the chest, no blood. The victims were museum staff and the tourists. No mercy was shown, even to children.


    Nico Gavalas was there, waiting. He was sitting on a bench, leisurely reading a brochure he held on one hand. On the other hand, a two-way radio, taken from one of the dead security guards.


    ¡°You seem really relaxed, for a someone who is about to go to jail for the rest of his life,¡± quipped Blast Storm as he took a threatening stance about ten paces away from Nico.


    Nico shrugged his shoulders as he lowered the brochure. ¡°What can I do? There''s still some time left before the reformation of the world commences. I didn''t wish to be bored, so might as well enjoy the rich heritage this museum offers.¡±


    ¡°Okay, whatever, man. Let''s make this simple, Gavalas. Quietly hand yourself over, and save me the hassle, okay? Just put these cuffs on your wrists and we call it a day. What do you say?¡±


    Nico smirked before shaking his head. ¡°Mister, you are a comedian, aren''t you? Tell me, when you''re this close to achieving your goal, would you throw all that away and obey some random passerby telling you to stop? Of course not. Such a thing will never happen, yes?¡±


    Nico slowly got up from the bench. He dropped the brochure and the walkie talkie as he stretched his cramped limbs.


    In his empty hand, an ornately crafted dagger suddenly appeared, drawing Blast Storm''s attention. Storm immediately recognized the weapon; it was Abyss''s tool of choice.


    ¡°Huh, that dagger. That used to belong to a vigilante. Mind telling me how you got a hold of that?¡±


    Nico glanced down at the dagger in his hand and tilted his head. ¡°Belonged to a vigilante? Mister, this weapon has only one master, and it''s certainly not you, me or that vigilante, for that matter. I''m just temporarily borrowing it. This is a relic of the divine god Enki, after all. Only he has the right to bestow this divine weapon to a chosen. I''m stepping on a sacrilegious ground just by wielding it like this.¡± Nico babbled on, shrugging his shoulders.


    ¡°Riiiiight. So you''re not only a murdering bastard, but a religious nutcase too. This is great. Just great,¡± groaned Blast Storm before he raised his dukes to cover his torso. ¡°Well then, let''s get going.¡±


    A surge of air gathered around Blast Storm''s upper torso, forming a barrier of sorts. Then he paid a careful attention to that dagger. He had to.


    One of the main reasons why Abyss was such a difficult customer to deal with, was because of that damn dagger. Not only was it unnaturally sharp, but it also had a strange ability to change its length somehow.


    No close observation on the weapon was possible since Abyss proved to be pretty good at evading all manner of pursuers coming after him. That was clearly a disadvantage, Blast Storm was sure of this fact.


    Nico made his move first while Blast Storm was lost in his thoughts for no more than a millisecond.


    To say he was taken by surprise was a small understatement. Blast Storm quickly shifted his body to his left side and dodged the dagger aiming straight for his heart. Good thing he had seen enough victims lying on the ground to give him hints, otherwise he might have been killed, right there and then.


    Nico withdrew the dagger, his eyes glistened in a pleasant surprise. ¡°Oh? That was a good reflex there, mister. See if you can dodge this one next!!¡±


    Nico swung the dagger horizontally around the chest height. Blast Storm dodged backwards, but his pupils widened the moment the dagger''s blade extended in a flash, closing in on his torso.


    Shouting out sharply, he rotated his body in mid-air, narrowly dodging the extended blade that acted like a deadly whip. The magical blade slashed across the entire exhibition hall, smashing and slicing apart all in its path. Not even the bulletproof glasses protecting the exhibits could withstand the attack.


    The icy chill crept up on Blast Storm''s back, realizing that Abyss never extended his dagger this far out before, at least not to his knowledge. He quickly rolled on the ground to get in position to counter attack.


    Rising up using his explosive strength akin to the compressed air, Blast Storm threw a perfect uppercut. His fist was encased in swirling air sharper than an industrial strength cutting laser and more stubborn than a crocodile biting down on its prey.


    His fist caused a shocking sonic boom as he splendidly connected to the chest of Nico Gavalas.


    The floor tiles shattered below each combatant''s feet as the enormous wave of energy exploded out of the attack. The entire building seemed to shake; the glass shards turned to powder, the prone, dead bodies were mauled by the deadly storm of wind and energy, and the fragile lighting bulbs got shredded apart from all the ricocheting debris, encasing the hall in total darkness.


    Almost right away, emergency lights came on, dyeing the Near East exhibition hall in the bloody crimson hue.


    Nico slammed into the wall, his chest caving in. The entire wall crumbled from the impact and Nico''s helpless, broken body fell down on the destroyed pieces of materials. He spluttered out a mouthful of blood, his limbs twitching occasionally. There he remained, limp and near death.


    Seeing this, Blast Storm narrowed his eyes. This was.... a little too easy. In the past, he ran into a few sly opponents who tried to lull him into a trap. It was similar to this situation.


    Obviously, Storm wouldn''t fall for such a cheap trick but upon a closer inspection, he could see that even if Gavalas was blessed with a power of insane regenerative ability, he''d still be dead in a minute or two. The chest injury was just simply too severe to survive. Not even the most advanced modern medicine could patch that kind of damage. Blast Storm grimaced a little, thinking that he might have overdone it and killed a man.


    Now, that wasn''t a serious problem, but the Guild of Heroes had a strict rule for catching bad guys alive if at all possible so they could stand trial and the public''s scrutiny.


    Still, something didn''t feel quite right. Blast Storm had to remain vigilant until this unease in his heart lessened.


    He slowly approached Nico Gavalas, while searching for that dangerous dagger with his keen senses. It was not on Nico''s body nor in his grasp. Using a subtle vibration from the airflow, he could locate anything in this small confined area but oddly, the thing was not here. He figured that it could be buried under some rubble. That would explain why he could not to find it right away. Unfortunately, the low red lighting didn''t make it any easier to locate the damn thing.


    He confirmed for one last time that Nico didn''t have the weapon on him. Only then, Blast Storm got in closer and spoke.


    ¡°It''s over, man.¡±


    His voice was low and apathetic.


    Nico chuckled slightly, coughing out more blood in the process. Then, he slowly shook his head. ¡°Over for you, yes. But for me? It''s only the beginning.¡±


    Blast Storm stopped his advance and carefully studied the dying man, trying to think if there was anything he had overlooked. Then it clicked; this guy could use hypnosis.


    Storm left the ear-mounted communicator to emit the low-frequency hum to prevent Nico Gavalas''s hypnosis from affecting him ever since he approached the exhibit hall, but could it be that he was already under its effects? The grievously injured, dying man in front of him could be a false image projected to his mind, in order to confuse him.


    Grimacing slightly at the thought, Blast Storm decided to make sure. He gathered power in his hand and quickly clicked his fingers, causing a shockwave. This would be, usually, enough to break any illusions caused by hypnosis.


    Seeing this, Nico''s smile grew slightly. As the shockwave swept across, he softly murmured. ¡°Oh, you''re unexpectedly sharp, aren''t you?¡± He then raised his hand where the dagger materialized again. Pointing the edge, he smiled coldly. ¡°Oh well, you''re wrong this time, though.¡±


    The dagger''s blade extended like a bullet. It shot forward and before Blast Storm could react, penetrated his chest, bypassing the Kevlar armor the Guild specially developed for him and even the barrier of wind.


    At the last possible second, he tilted his body, so his heart was spared, but the unbelievably sharp blade still managed to slice through every muscle, fiber, bone and tissue with ease.


    Smiling victoriously, Nico stood up while holding the extended dagger. Then, he deftly flicked his wrist and the dagger''s supernaturally sharp blade cut cleanly upwards, exiting past Blast Storm''s right shoulder, splitting him nearly in half.


    Blast Storm fell on one knee, his eyes glazing over at the sudden turn of the event. He felt his senses go numb at the massive loss of blood.


    He somehow willed his powers to stop the bleeding by concentrating the wind to form a thick barrier over his extensive wounds, but he was literally staring down the barrel of a loaded gun at this point. He knew that, unless help arrived in the next couple of minutes, he''d be dead.


    And this realization thoroughly shocked him. Never before had he envisioned a situation where his life was ending like this. This was.... unreal. This had to be a bad joke, a terrible lie.


    As the Super''s eyes wavered and began to lose the spark of life, Nico slowly walked closer, his caved chest visible and all. Out of nowhere, a stone tablet emitting a weak golden purple light emerged and slowly hummed in the air.


    The blood of Blast Storm rose up like a dancing snake, swirling wildly before forming a vivid red ball. It began to draw more blood from Blast Storm''s dying body, going as so far to ignore the air barrier he had put up on his fatal wounds.


    No f*cking way?!


    Blast Storm watched the incredulous scene of his own body draining out of all the blood. Then his eyes shifted to that sphere in the air, unable to fully comprehend. His consciousness began to darken, and it became so much harder to maintain his kneeling position. Gradually, he fell on his back, shivering from the creeping cold.


    With his final breath, he watched as the last of his blood fly up towards the tablet, merging into it. Then, the imperceptible texts on its surface glowed in bright red. Each word pulsated like a broken heartbeat, thumping noises echoing inside Blast Storm''s mind.


    ¡°Ohh, this is.... wow. Mister, you were one heck of a warrior, weren''t you? Amazing!! Not all of your blood has been sacrificed yet, but the gate of the guardian beast is this satisfied?! Wow, just wow!! Is this what you Americans call a jackpot?! Yes, it must be!!¡±


    Nico cackled like a possessed man, not even caring about his chest wound. Bits of broken bone and flesh, mixed with the torn clothing made him look like a gruesome science experiment gone wrong, but he seemed perfectly fine, as if he didn''t feel any pain or even the slightest bit of discomfort.


    Ahh, sh*t, so this is where I kick the bucket, huh. Blast Storm shuddered weakly. He was somewhat bitter about not being able to stop this lunatic, and by the look of things, he only managed to make the matters worse, somehow. Whatever that stone tablet was, Storm just knew it was a seriously bad news for his colleagues and friends.


    Speaking of which....


    God damn it. Vanguard, you better survive this calamity, you hear me? If you die and I see you up there, then I''m gonna kick your ass so hard....


    His dying whispers were heard by no one. Not even Nico Gavalas heard it. He was too busy cackling in satisfaction.


    Soon, the last bit of bloody Sphere was absorbed into the stone tablet. The sickly golden purple light was incredibly strong and bright now, almost all of the letters clearly legible on the surface. Nico nodded happily at this.


    ¡°Oh yes. With that much sacrifice, maybe I don''t need anymore? Hmm? Oh, maybe I do need a bit more. Hmm, oh, that is unfortunate. Really. Let''s see..... Ah!! The Seed of the End should be ready by now. Did I run out of time? Oh well. Shall I go and check it out?¡±


    Chuckling in a good mood and babbling on and on to no one in particular, Nico turned on his hills and headed to the nearest staircase leading down to the storage below.


    There were even more dead bodies here, workers and security guards of the museum lying cold and drained of their blood. Many of the wooden crates containing the stars of the exhibit in a few days'' time were left unopened, never to bathe in the light again.


    Nico whistled as he approached a huge black vault. Its front door was sliced open, the thick metal and the security measures unable to stop him from accessing what was stored inside.


    The gym bag was here, and so was the golden skull. The bizarre skull was placed atop an examination table next to a small box that would normally hold myrrh, but now, housing a small, black metallic seed.


    The golden skull was emitting a deep, sickly golden glow, and the strange mark on its forehead was spinning rapidly as if it wanted to break free from its confines. Seeing the speed of the spin, Nico quickly moved and pulled out the bag, searching for the severed hand that held the old bronze mirror.


    ¡°Whew, almost didn''t make it, eh?¡±


    Smiling, he unwrapped the jacket around the hand. The rigor mortis meant it was now solidly gripping the mirror, allowing Nico to use the entire limb as a sort of macabre tool.


    As soon as he readied himself, the spinning mark finally broke free from the skull, and immediately shot out towards the black metal seed, submerging into it.


    ¡°Oh, here we go.¡±


    Nico quickly grabbed the skull and hurriedly left the vault, not even looking back.


    Less than a minute later, the black seed loudly rumbled. A keening, screeching noise shattered the eerie calm of the underground storage and the wooden box violently split apart. At first, a single black metallic vine as thick as a person''s thigh shot out from the seed, wriggling around in a disgusting manner. Then another one shot out, striking the inside of the vault, destroying countless fragile artifacts stored within. Then, yet another vine emerged. And another. And another.


    In a blink of an eye. tens of thick, black metallic vines wriggled out of the once-small seed, expanding like crazy. Soon, the entire underground area was filled with the tumbling metal vines. The museum''s walls gave way, the concrete splitting apart weakly. Metal frames bent, the machines to carry large crates broke apart under the immense pressure and were instantly absorbed into the vines.


    Nico had already exited the Near East exhibit when the whole building started to tremble as if an earthquake pounced on the unsuspecting city of New York. He hurriedly left the hall, laughing like a maniac as the walls were destroyed behind him, caving in, the numerous artifacts turning into nothing more than powder as the metal vines snaked out of everywhere.


    The museum goers were gathered into the Great Hall, waiting for help to arrive. But as soon as the vines exploded out from everywhere, the hapless tourists were all swept away by the black tide, vaporizing into a fine mist of flesh and gore.


    The Peacekeepers stood no chance as well, as they too were turned into nothing more than food for these vines. They fired their guns, threw their grenades, whatever ¨C none of their desperate struggles could save them. Upon their demise, the guns and the equipment all split apart and became part of the metal vines.


    Nico kicked the locked front door of the museum as hard as he could and jumped outside just as the black vines exploded out of the walls and windows and pretty much everywhere else. The entire museum crumbled into nothing as the mountains of vines erupted out. The cops and newly-arriving Supers were left stunned by this development, and was a tad too late to react.


    When the vines shot out towards everywhere and wherever, absolute anarchy unfolded in the streets. Buildings, cars, people carrying guns, smartphones, whatever ¨C none were spared as every single one of them were targetted. Bloody mist rose everywhere; blood-curdling screams of terror resounded in the center of the greatest city on earth.


    When one of the vines came for Nico, he laughed and simply flashed the severed hand with the bronze mirror trapped within. The polished surface suddenly vibrated, and a dull brown light shone out, wrapping Nico inside it, forming a protective barrier around him. The metal vines avoided him from then on.


    Laughing, Nico looked around him as the pandemonium of destruction broke out all over Manhattan. Buildings crumbled, cars exploded, the ground ripped apart and the subway trains were pulled up violently, all to become the part of the vines. And from where the Metropolitan Museum of Art once stood, an eerie black metal sprout was taking shape.


    ¡°Oh, it''s here!! It''s finally here!! Finally, after six millenniums in slumber, a Divine Tree is taking root!! Come, come and fulfill our wish, the divine and majestic.... Tree of the End!!¡±


    Nico screamed at the top of his lungs in pure, frenzied delight. And as if to respond to his cries, the sprout began to emit a dazzling white light that blinded everyone on the continent, one that could be seen even by the astronauts in the international space station.


    And when the light finally dimmed, there stood a gigantic metal structure that resembled a lightning rod, piercing the blue sky and shattering it, revealing the black starry space beyond. Almost half of the Central Park was gone, destroyed. The metal vines continued to wriggle and extend out, spreading all over the island, destroying and devouring everything in their wake.


    And Nico was below the ¡°Tree¡± smiling happily, his arms spread out wide. He fervently nodded his head and shouted loudly once more at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Oh, my liege, we''ve finally done it!! The Tree of the End stands tall in this corrupted world once more!! With this, our gods shall finally make the triumphant return from the realm now long forgotten!! The glorious days of Bad-tibira shall return!!¡±


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!!)

 Red Souls Chapter 21: The Machinations

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 21: The Machinations</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Min-jung was reliving the nightmare of all those years ago.


    She was watching her younger self staring at a computer monitor that showed a test being run on the laboratory next door. It was busy running an accelerated simulation of gene grafting. On the monitor, there were a couple of scientists wearing white Hazmat suits operating robotic arms behind a protective screen. On another monitor next to her, green texts slowly scrolled up, apparently showing the real-time updates on the progress of the experiment.


    Understandably, Min-jung was dazed by this scenery.


    Just how long ago was this scene from? She remembered it all too well. This moment in time was inexorably etched in her mind. After all, this was when everything changed.


    She was greatly alarmed by this recollection. She was pretty sure of falling asleep after returning home, but this.... why was she dreaming of that fateful day?


    Reflexively, she reached out. She wanted to reach out and warn her younger self about what was to happen. But her hands simply couldn''t touch. They faded past the objects in this laboratory. She couldn''t interact with the glass flask filled with colorful liquids next to her, nor could she touch the clean tabletops and all the scientific paraphernalia on them.


    Min-jung shouted out at her younger self, but even that bit of desperation was denied. No voice came out of her mouth.


    All she could do, was to watch the agonizing events happen to her, all over again.


    It wasn''t long before the younger version of Min-jung noticed a new, unknown protocol she didn''t authorize running on the computer monitor. Enraged, she sat up abruptly and ran to the next door where the experiment was taking place.


    She nearly kicked the secured door down in anger and confronted one of the scientists there, a man twice her age and possessing twice the ego. This man frequently clashed with Min-jung, questioning and mocking her ideas all just because of her race and her young age. His reasoning was that since he had more experience and achievements as well as a better background, it should have been him as the lead in this project, not her.


    He tried to undermine her authority ever since coming on board ¨C and on this particular day, he had voluntarily substituted her models with his own during the crucial phase of the experiment, thinking that with this, he should earn the necessary recognition when everything went as planned. All within in his ego-bloated mind, of course.


    Sure enough, the new models began to go haywire. The robotic machines went overload. The older scientist''s paled, puzzled and ultimately in-denial face would remain in Min-jung''s memory, as big a part as this entire ordeal was for her.


    There was an explosion. Something somewhere somehow went wrong. The protective screen bore the brunt of the impact, but it still cracked under the powerful blast. A piece of this screen broke loose and flew towards the unguarded Min-jung.


    Next thing she knew, she was on the floor, grasping the side of her lower stomach, a blood stain slowly spreading on the clothing.


    That was when her dream ended. That was not the end of her ordeal, but whenever she had this nightmare, it always ended there.


    Min-jung weakly opened her eyes. She was still lying sprawled on the bed in her bedroom. The house was eerily quiet, devoid of life. Bob had taken Dana to stay with his parents and was yet to return from the trip. She was all alone in this two-story suburban home.


    She sat up, feeling groggy and heavy. The silence of the house actually helped her to get some valuable shut-eye but now.... being alone didn''t seem like the smartest idea.


    She massaged her head, wondering just how long she fell asleep for.


    Checking out the alarm clock, she frowned. The sleep only lasted for a couple of hours. Sighing, she dragged her weary body to the adjoining bathroom to wash up and get a change of clothing.


    A splash of cold water on the face woke her up. That little bit of rest had helped her, at least by a little. She thought she could think better now, clearer and faster. Hell, even her tummy growled in protestation, not having been filled in the last twelve frantic hours.


    Now that her head was spinning better, she could collect her thoughts, reflect on the events of the past.


    Her first priority still was to find her son, currently kidnapped by her boss, Mylorne Akkad. According to Jack''s friend Taylor, her son had manifested superpowers of his own. The teen girl posited that was probably the reason why Jack was targetted. She wasn''t too far off the mark either, Min-jung mused bitterly.


    The Finn girl helped Min-jung to confirm her son''s location but in the end, they were one step too late as Jack was whisked away to god knows where while she watched helplessly on the ground.


    Not having any other ideas left, she reluctantly took Taylor back to the hospital, where her father was after being on the receiving end of the sudden attack from the trio of teen Supers.


    From the description provided by Taylor, Min-jung knew almost immediately who the attackers were. She had seen their photos in those classified files in General William''s office, after all. And the implication here was a chilling one.


    Did the consequences of the deal she made with Akkad all those years ago finally catching up with her?


    But if she didn''t make that deal, then her life would not have been the same. No, it would have been incomparably worse.


    Because.... that incident back then left her damaged. She didn''t want to remember but since that nightmare came back to her, she did and she could accurately remember the total number of creases on the aged doctor''s face, the doctor who told her after the life-saving operation that she''d never get to have children. She could recall the color of his eyes, even. Every tiny little blood vessel on those green pupils, the way he contracted them to impart an expression of sincerity and sympathy. She recalled it all.


    And mixed among those recalled memories were the moments where she contemplated taking her own life. Or, when she conspired to murder the scientist responsible. Of course, that man was no longer involved with the project, removed by the overseers after the revelation that his untested computer model was the reason for Min-jung''s injuries.


    What was his name again...? Min-jung tried to recall the scientist''s face and his name but couldn''t, really. Maybe she decided to mentally block the triggers that could cause her to fall back into depression.


    She certainly was depressed back then. She felt devastated, scared, confused.


    But then, Akkad appeared before her one day with a proposal. It was an incredible, impossible proposal that, if accepted, could change her fate for good. So, she took it. Min-jung didn''t even read the fine print, simply choosing to dive in head first and threw caution to the wind.


    Oh, how much she regretted those decisions now.


    The idea, the core of the deal, was simple ¨C to carry a clone of a human in her, the baby''s DNA interspersed with hers and Bob''s as well as the crucial third source: that of Gilgamesh''s. The very first cloned human to walk this earth would come from her womb.


    It was not as improbable as some people might have thought, either. The Project Dead Kings and its success all hinged on utilizing the ancient God-king''s recovered genes as the binding agent to hold all the augmentations together without falling apart at the seams. And it was working, as far as lab experimentations showed, regardless of the environment the modified embryos were placed in. She had more than a fair chance of success. No, it''d be more than fair, as the initial fertilization wouldn''t even take in her womb.


    Min-jung possessed all the right knowledge to succeed. And for his part, Mylorne Akkad would provide the tools, facilitate this medical procedure when it takes place, and pay for the post-op as well as offer her a sanctuary in case of an emergency. In return, she''d provide him with the technical data of all the subjects participating in the Project. Every single one of them.


    All this, without the alerting the Project Dead King''s overseers ¨C the Department of Defense and the Federal Government of United States of America.


    What Min-jung did back then was a clear breach of the Project''s protocol. If found out, she would have been arrested on the spot and thrown in a nameless jail somewhere not marked on any map without a trial. Even now, that hadn''t changed. If the secret was exposed after all this time, then the only destination for her was inside a prison cell.


    Yet, how could she care about that, when her son''s wellbeing, his life, was at stake here? Who knows what kind of fanatical rubbish Mylorne was exposing her son to? Min-jung had to stop her mad boss before her son''s mind was irreparably harmed.


    After another splash of water, she remembered a favor she asked Professor Evans before crashing into a deep sleep. It was to find the flight plan of Mylorne Akkad''s aircraft. Every aircraft, private or not, needed to file a flight plan with the applicable aviation authority before setting off on a journey.


    Originally, she was going to call Federal Aviation Authority herself, but she lacked the right accreditation. She briefly entertained asking General Williams but then, he was currently splitting his attention on tracking down the three troublesome escapees as well as whatever was going on in New York. He wouldn''t be able to even hear her requests seeing how busy he was.


    Besides, if Williams asked for a reason, and he''d definitely ask her for one, what could she tell him? That her billionaire boss had somehow controlled three escaped subjects of the Project and kidnapped her son, not to threaten her but to do something else that she also didn''t know herself?


    In the end, that''s why she called Professor Evans for help. He was still at the underground base as she was leaving for home. If he was still there, then, Evans could ask one of the computer technicians to check out Akkad''s flight plan. Min-jung thought lying to the aged professor should be easier than to a career military man.


    Her mobile phone was on the bureau next to the bed. She had to check for any messages she might have received while she was out cold. When she turned off the running water, she heard the phone ringing softly in the bedroom.


    Min-jung hurriedly ran out of the bathroom, but the call ended just before she reached it, making her cuss out just a little. She quickly picked it up and tried to see the number, if it was indeed from the good professor. But the call was from her husband, instead.


    She frowned and was about to call him when a message blinked on the phone''s screen, telling her that there was a voicemail. When she clicked on it, Bob''s urgent and worried voice came over.


    ¡°Hey babe, if you''re at home, turn on the TV. Something big and awful is going on, right now in New York.¡±


    Confused, Min-jung narrowed her eyes and searched for the remote around her. It was cleverly hidden but she was able to locate it after a few minutes and turned on the wall-mounted television. The screen took a second or two before coming to life, and when it did, the very first thing on was an emergency news broadcast.


    The male anchor was doing his job as professionally as possible, but he seemed rattled. He was stuttering somewhat, loosening his tie and gripping the pile of papers on his hands as he spoke to the camera.


    ¡°The situation in Manhattan is regretfully unknown as we speak, ladies and gentlemen. All attempts to make any type of contact with the population of the island has failed so far and we have reasons to believe there might not be many survivors capable of contacting the outside world.


    ¡°These images coming in right now are courtesy of our affiliate station based in New Jersey. Please be advised that what we are showing you is not a computer generated imagery, nor is it faked in any shape or form. It is, indeed, as real as you and me.¡±


    The screen switched to show a devastated landscape, shot from a great distance. Buildings were collapsing, raising thick dust plumes; the roads were destroyed, cars were set alight, and almost everywhere, thick, black metal things could be seen. These metallic objects were writhing around, moving and squirming like a living, breathing tentacles of a Kraken.


    The scene changed and now, the destroyed skyline of Manhattan came to the view, shot from across one of the rivers. The iconic buildings and structures were no more; replaced by what Min-jung could only describe as a black metal rod seemingly taking over the half of the island''s width.


    And it jutted high into the sky, ripping apart the blue background and piercing out of the atmosphere until the stars could be seen in the dark backdrop.


    It was a surreal thing to witness and Min-jung thought offhandedly that it would be even more crazy unreal to see it with the naked eyes.


    She blinked her eyes a few times, before wondering whether she should call her husband and ask him what the hell was going on. When she looked down on the phone, only then did she notice there was another message, this time a text.


    It was from Evans; the message did come. The old Professor didn''t let her down, it seemed. Hurriedly, she opened it. After reading it, she dropped the phone on the floor, her entire body shaking from the shock.


    ¡°Doctor Mercer. It''s Evans. I''ve found the flight plan you asked for. The plane''s heading to a small airfield near New York. Hopefully that helps you.¡±


    She took a second before panic fell on her eyes. Hurriedly, she grabbed her coat and ran to the door. She wasn''t sure what needed to be done, but somehow, she had to get to New York.


    When she flung open the front door, she was surprised to find two black-suited men standing there, just about to ring the bell.


    One of the men cleared his throat and asked her. ¡°Doctor Mercer? May we have a moment of your time? It''s very important.¡±


    She was about to refuse, when the other men pulled out an object from his jacket pocket.


    She didn''t even have the time to back away before darkness came over her.


    ~


    Professor Evans washed and shaved his face. The feeling of refreshment made him crack a soft smile. Wiping away the residual water on his face with a luxuriant towel, he exited the bathroom and gingerly made his way towards the table where a laptop was switched on, waiting for a human to interact with it.


    After sending the text to Doctor Mercer, he had taken command of one of the rooms available here in the base instead of returning to his own residence. There was little waiting for him there, anyway.


    Evans believed that since the fruits of his lengthy, often tumultuous labor were being deployed in New York, he might as well stick around to see how successful his vision was under the glaring spotlight of the reality. No better place than to do it here, in the underground base. He could have accompanied General Williams and Major Podolsky to the city but decided not to ¨C at his age, he''d rather not travel as much as possible if there was an alternative available.


    As he was about to sit down in front of the laptop to check for e-mails, there was an urgent knock on the door, followed by his name being called.


    Frowning, Evans asked with his raspy voice. ¡°Yes? What is it?¡±


    His frown became deeper when he heard the reason for this call. He opened the door and told the young soldier to bring the laptop with him, while doing his best to briskly walk towards the command center in this base.


    He was having a terribly bad feeling the moment the soldier mentioned a new anomaly appearing in New York. An anomaly that looked like a massive metal spike.


    Evans was deeply invested in this project; he studied and analyzed nearly every facet of Gilgamesh''s tomb, not to mention the subsequent cuneiforms and hieroglyphs found in the burial chambers of the ancient Supers. His knowledge of the subject pertaining to anything and everything Lord of Darkness-related was perhaps the most extensive in the world. And his worries were stemming from this deep pool of information stored in his head.


    The distance between his quarters and the command center never seemed so far away before, making him even more anxious to get there quickly.


    Eventually, he arrived before the electric sliding doors. They hissed and parted sideways, allowing the professor to hurry inside, only to be struck dumb by the giant image of the black metal thing projected to the main monitor positioned in the middle. The place was currently under a Colonel named Pattison who came over to Evan''s side and began to talk at a rate of knots.


    The aged Professor was too shocked to fully grasp what the Colonel was telling him, but had understood the gist of the story. After regaining his senses, he borrowed a work table and asked the soldier to set the laptop on it.


    Evans then hurriedly searched through the database, thinking that metal object was something he should know of, that he should''ve recognized it right away. He didn''t have to wade through tons of useless files, though, as he almost immediately found what he was looking for.


    ¡°Oh, my god. That thing is.... Could it be the Tree of the End?¡±


    ¡°What is that, Professor? What is a Tree of the End?¡±


    Pattison, who was near Evans, asked in confusion.


    Gulping his saliva, Evans clenched his fists into a ball and looked at the colonel. ¡°There is a significant portion of the Gilgamesh''s tomb dedicated specifically to telling a tale involving the petty gods and the mortals, battling for the right to decide their individual destinies. According to this tale, the ancient gods controlled the earth via six so-called divine Trees of the World. It''s not immediately clear how they did so, but the initial revision of the translation shows that it could be by telepathic manipulation of human beings.


    ¡°To wit, one of the most well-known parts in the Epic of Gilgamesh is of the God-King''s quest to slay Humbaba the Gatekeeper and fell a Cedar tree in the forest of the gods.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°I believe that was simply a retelling of Gilgamesh''s journey to stop the gods from influencing the humanity. That Cedar tree is more than likely one of the Six Divine Trees, the Tree of Life.


    ¡°From the tomb''s translations, the six Trees are,


    ¡°The Tree of Life, supposedly made out of wood-like materials. Hence, a Cedar tree. It''s believed to signify the neverending cycle of life.


    ¡°The Tree of Soul Sea, signifying possibly the spirituality of the mankind, represented by water.


    ¡°The Tree of Perdition, signifying punishment, represented by fire.


    ¡°The Tree of Absolution, signifying absolving of guilt, represented by wind or breeze.


    ¡°The Tree of Change, signifying time or something similar in concept, represented by thunder and lightning.


    ¡°And finally, the Tree of the End, signifying the zenith and the fall of human civilization, represented by iron or other metal.


    ¡°So tell me, Colonel, which of these six Trees does that metallic object most resemble to you?¡±


    Pattison pointed at the image on the main monitor. ¡°That is.... No, never mind that. If that supposition is correct, then what are your recommendations, Professor? How grave is the threat level?¡±


    Evans sighed and shook his head. ¡°I''m sorry. Even I do not have all the answers ¨C but remember, it''s the ancient gods that supposedly incite the Lords of Darkness to rise and destroy humanity. So, the level of threat.... is extreme. It, the Tree, needs to be brought down right away.¡±


    ¡°Is there a way to destroy or remove the Tree?¡±


    Evans grimaced and leaned forward to rest his head on his hands. ¡°Colonel, we''ve raised our army for this very day. I fear that sooner rather than later, we will be encountering a full-fledged Lord of Darkness. And the appearance of the Tree is just merely the beginning. Please, Colonel, there is no time to waste. Contact General Williams right away. He needs to know, and to get our combatants ready for a war.¡±


    A seemingly abandoned warehouse district far North of Manhattan, just beyond the boundaries of the borough of Bronx ¨C two figures were moving in haste, trying their best to hide in the shadows wherever it might be. More correctly, one figure was running while carrying the other on his back.


    It was, of course, Abyss who was carrying the still-unconscious girl along with him to a safe house somewhere around here. Well, calling it a house was a stretch of one''s imagination, but it was considerably safe from the threats of his enemies, so either way, it was fine. He didn''t care what anyone called it.


    The sleeping girl was wrapped up in the robe Abyss found inside the make-shift laboratory. But she hasn''t shown any signs of opening her eyes at all. Her breathing and heartbeat were all normal, so Abyss didn''t worry about her condition, at least not for now.


    The robe wasn''t the only thing Abyss had found within that lab. There was a metal briefcase that contained two vials the sizes of a large syringe. Within those vials, one was filled with semi-solid green gel, while the other, a viscous liquid dyed in deep crimson hue. He had no idea what they were, but when he tried to examine them, a sensation of something forbidden to touch swept over him. And his gut feelings were usually correct, so he just left the strange materials there. They didn''t seem related to the girl, per se, and if they were, he''d just track it to wherever the cops or the Feds stored them in. No biggie.


    What was a biggie, though, was running on building rooftops during the broad daylight. He was probably seen hundreds of times by the citizens and that sure as hell didn''t feel so good. It was all the fault of that dagger stealing asswipe. Abyss couldn''t wait to kick that man''s ass properly.


    But now wasn''t the time. He had to make sure this girl was safe first. Only then, would he return to the city and have another go at finding that bastard before he did something as terrible as the massacre in the JFK. Abyss had to stop him. It was his job, his life''s mission.


    However, taking care of the girl was a problem.


    Even though he went out of his way to find her, the aftermath would be messy, he figured. Not that he was reluctant to deal with it, but just that, he was fully aware of what he was getting himself into.


    As far as he knew, this girl had no dependents nor did she have a home to return to. Abyss didn''t even know her name. He had only learned of her existence by sheer accident when he was out on another one of his crime prevention run in the old neighborhood.


    Abyss overheard a conversation between one of Max''s boys and an unknown man. They talked about handling some strange girl for a customer who was paying top dollar for the storage and transportation. Abyss thought that they were talking about human trafficking.


    Incensed by the fact that there was someone on his watch dealing in that sh*t, Abyss went to Max''s place to rough him up and get the information out. He found the photograph of the smiling girl in Max''s apartment and that was all he needed to know.


    But who knew things would become complicated like this?


    He knew nothing about her. Not her name, not her age, not her origins, just that, bad people had interests in her and she was vulnerable and needed help. He should''ve interrogated Max more thoroughly. If it weren''t for that smiling bastard taking away his dagger, he wouldn''t have moved like this.


    Well, being a twisted boy scout that he was, Abyss still had to intervene on her behalf no matter what. When there were many matters to attend to, he''d rather finish them in sequence. The girl''s safety came first so here he was. He didn''t regret his decision. It was the right thing to do.


    After running for so long without a break, even Abyss was tired and he needed to take a rest. Running on the bridge was the worst, with the nosy traffic getting a full view of his movements. He figured that a change of his address probably was in order in the near future.


    He entered one of the desolate warehouses. It was empty, weeds grew out of every crack, and rusted bits and pieces were the only occupants here. Making sure there was no one, Abyss carefully put the girl down first, propping her against a wall before he too sat down next to her.


    In his years as a vigilante, this must''ve been one of the most troublesome missions he had undertaken which was saying something, seeing that his past enemies were quite a colorful bunch, to say the least.


    On the opposite side to where he sat, Abyss could see the vague outline of Manhattan''s skyline, his home, through the broken windows. What a piece of work that place was. Full of lowlives, degenerates, corrupted bastards, rapists, drug pushers, armed robbers, murderers, thieves, religious fanatics, terrorists and hooligans, as well as those that took the cake for being the worst, the white collar criminals who try to hide behind the protection of the crooked constitutions and laws and judges and an army of lawyers.


    This was his town. This was his hunting ground, one where he''d never run out of prey.


    Abyss was well aware of how deranged he was. No need for a shrink to tell him that.


    Wherever he looked, he could only see evil. Goodness in people''s hearts had long turned to ash in the greedy pursuit of wealth and benefits. No city in the world exemplified this trait as much as New York. The main rot came from the overflowing temptation of the Wall Street and its myriad of investment banking schemes that promised to make millions overnight while sucking the system dry to the bone. It started from there.


    Probably because he was slightly insane, this city seemed such a perfect fit. He knew that if he had to go to, say, Denver, for instance, he''d be totally lost, feeling somewhat irrelevant and unsure of his purpose in this world. But not in New York. This was his hometown. He knew all the dirty secrets or, at least knew where to find one, knew which tree to shake for that juicy fruit.


    He grinned maniacally, after imagining himself tracking down that smiling man who stole his dagger and massacred so many in the JFK. What method should he choose to punish this new form of evil?


    He was excited just thinking about it.


    As he was grinning, the girl stirred slightly. She moaned softly, her head falling to a side. Abyss turned to observe her, hoping the girl might wake up now and provide him with some information about her. That''d be a massive help in deciding how to handle her future.


    ¡°Mmm......¡±


    The girl slowly turned her head more, a frown forming on her smooth forehead. She then shuddered, her eyelids fluttering. Abyss waited for her to open her eyes and go into a full panic mode ¨C that''s what most people did when they saw him. He already mastered a method to deal with such situations, depending on who was throwing a panicky tantrum.


    As he waited for her, Abyss sensed the ground tremble slightly. It was very minute and easy to miss for a regular person, but he wasn''t and he didn''t.


    Concerned at this uncharacteristic event, Abyss placed his hand on the ground, sensing the continuous vibration. There was no subway going under his position, nor was there a construction site nearby. Such a shaking shouldn''t even be here.


    Then the shaking morphed into a rumbling. The whole world seemed to quake. The broken window sills of the warehouse shook. The ceiling panels began to collapse one by one.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    Abyss stiffened and stood up, ready to pick the girl up and leave this crumbling warehouse. Then he heard it; a giant screeching sound, and an explosive bang, followed by a blinding white light bursting out in the distance towards the Manhattan skyline. He shielded his eyes but it still stung.


    Before his eyes could readjust, the walls exploded, and the thick metal vines attacked where Abyss stood. He belatedly saw them, and couldn''t dodge in time.


    The vines were about to strike him when the girl''s eyes snapped open, revealing a pair of rich golden-verdant irides.


    She raised her left hand and on her palm, runes began to gather. The space right in front of Abyss became separated from the rest, creating an invisible barrier that the vines crashed noisily against but unable to penetrate.


    Stunned, he stumbled back for a moment, watching the writhing vines trying to breach the barrier but failing to do so. He had never in his life felt such malice and danger emitted by the wriggling vines. He was actually breaking out in cold sweats.


    ¡°What the hell is this?! What the f*ck?¡±


    He muttered in a daze, before remembering the girl behind him. He turned around and saw the girl whispering something in a low murmur, while a warm green light seeped out of her.


    Her eyes narrowed, her frown getting deeper in concentration as the warehouse began to disintegrate all around her and Abyss. He saw the concrete walls and the rusting metal frames assimilate into the metal vines, feeding the explosive growth of these things. He could only watch on, at a loss for words.


    The barrier continued to block the powerful attacks of the metal vines, ripples of the each impact clearly visible in the air. But eventually, the frequency of the attacks slowed until they ceased, and the calm arrived before long.


    Abyss looked at the girl, on high alert. She looked totally wiped out, her face pale and her breathing rough. She stared at him, panting, before asking him in a trembling voice.


    ¡°We are not safe here. We must leave.¡±


    Abyss slowly nodded. ¡°You don''t have to tell me twice. Can you stand, or do I need to carry you?¡±


    She shook her head slightly. ¡°I''m too weak to walk on my own. Please, lend me your aid for a foreseeable future, oh brave warrior.¡±


    Abyss cocked an eyebrow under his black mask. A brave warrior? First time someone called me that....


    ~


    Erik pointed at the huge metal rod in the distant horizon and angrily asked Stu ¨C Stewart ¨C in front of him. His eyes were bloodshot from the exposure to the blinding light, and spittle flew out of his mouth.


    ¡°Look at that!! Are you still gonna try fighting us, when that thing is right there?! Hello!! Where is your priority, man?¡±


    Stu gritted his teeth, unable to make up his mind. He glanced around at his surroundings and saw that there was an incredible level of confusion and panic quickly spreading to the citizens like an infectious disease.


    ¡°But I have my orders, Erik!! I''m a soldier, and I must follow my orders to the letter. You are coming with me, right now!! Stop resisting, will you!!¡±


    The two of them glared at each other, not budging from their spots. Before the two of them noticed it, Cleo''s family was outside the church, worriedly surveyed the scene and the bizarre metal spike thing on the horizon.


    The Catholic nuns were busy praying on their knees, their brows twitching in fear. The drivers of the cars also stepped out of their cars and were staring at the metal spike. A Muslim man in his sixties left his Mercedes and muttered under his breath, ¡°The Day of the Judgment is.... here? Is this al-Qiyamah?¡±


    As if to answer his query, the ground violently rumbled, the entire world seemingly shaking like crazy. The dozens of thunder-like explosive cracks ripped the air and even Cleo had to cover her ears from the acute pain.


    Surrounding the metal ¡°tree,¡± clouds began to gather and several purple lightning were seen snaking within.


    ¡°What the hell is going on in Manhattan? Lei, can you find out what''s going on?!¡±


    Erik asked in a worried voice, realizing that something very ominous was happening right now across the river from where they were. The oppressive aura oozing out of the spike thing was incredible ¨C just looking at it was difficult. There were some in the crowd already fainting from the absurd oppressiveness.


    Lei silently scanned the airwaves in a hurry. Until now, she was only monitoring the channels regarding the Project Dead Kings and more specifically, those trying to find them. Naturally, she didn''t pay much attention to the other ongoings of the city itself.


    No one spoke until Lei raised her head and conveyed the grim news to all who were present.


    ¡°There is a lot of confusion right now, and I can''t tell what''s going on exactly, but before that metal thing rose up, GoH guys were going after the suspect from the JFK thing. He was trapped in the Met, and a team of Superheroes went in after him. And then...


    ¡°I don''t know, but we need to leave the city right now. I''m hearing reports of strange black colored metal vines destroying everything in their paths and are trying to cross the rivers via all the bridges around the island of Manhattan. So far, none has crossed over because the bridges collapsing under the weight or something. But there is no guarantee the situation will remain like that for long. It''s not safe where we are.¡±


    ¡°See? Did you hear that?! Do you think this is the right time to rigidly, mindlessly follow your stupid orders? Huh? Tell me Stu!!¡± Erik shouted at Stewart and then told his companions. ¡°Get in the cars. We are not staying here.¡±


    Stewart gritted his teeth stepped forward, ready to engage in combat, when his focus was taken away by an urgent radio call coming to his earpiece.


    His facial color changed as he heard the new orders being channeled in ¨C the command was recalling every available operative back to HQ. On top of that, all the previous missions were rescinded as of immediate effect as well.


    Stewart''s expression further crumbled in dissatisfaction, but the new order had to be executed. He gave the signal to withdraw to his squad before glaring at Erik for the last time. ¡°Don''t think you got away, Erik. When this is over, I am still coming after you lot.¡±


    ¡°Well, then. See you later, Stu.¡± Erik waved him away before jumping into the car. ¡°C''mon, Mister Costanza. Floor it. Let''s get the hell outta here.¡±


    ~


    Mylorne Akkad''s facial expression was not good. No, it was possibly the worst he had for quite a long while. In fact, it surpassed the one he carried after studying the camera footage from the JFK airport. Anyone who saw him right now, wouldn''t even recognize him. It was that severe.


    But he had all the reason in the world to be unhappy. Right now, he was staring at the unmistakable sign of ill omens to come, the Tree of The End, on the computer monitor.


    There was no one beside him inside the private resting quarter just outside the large tent hiding the ancient ruins so his ugly expression was left unseen. That was a good news for Mylorne, as he valued his public persona very, very much. Such a tyrannical, angry face would badly damage the carefully cultivated image of a man steeped in refinement, culture and an air of total mystery. With the invention of social media, keeping secrets were pretty hard nowadays. He had to be extra cautious.


    But the Tree was an incredibly bad news. Bad news for his plans, bad news for the humanity as a whole, bad news for the planet itself.


    To think, that the accursed dog of the so-called gods, En-men-lu-ana had this kind of trump card lying around. Even Mylorne couldn''t have predicted this outcome.


    And things were moving too fast. He could not control the matters anymore. With this Tree revived, Mylorne Akkad had to assume that En-men-lu-ana also possessed other means to resurrect the rest and complete the portal to receive the vanquished gods back to the planet Earth. What would happen then? The subjugation and the enslavement of every living being on this planet, that''s what. And all his carefully laid plans wasted.


    Mylorne Akkad glanced at the second monitor, showing the red pyramid underground. No signs of Jack Mercer emerging from it. Understandably so, since it had not been even half a day since the boy entered it. Hell, even if the boy managed to withstand 24 hours inside the structure, his strength still wouldn''t be enough to destroy that Tree.


    Back then, Gilgamesh''s powers weren''t enough so he had to work together with another godly being, Enkidu. They were former enemies who had then become lifelong friends. The two were the most powerful beings in the entire world, maybe even this galaxy, yet they nearly died trying to destroy the final remaining Tree, the ironically-named Tree of Life, and its guardian beast, Humbaba.


    I need to locate the potential spots where the other Trees might be located. Get rid of the future troubles before they sprout.


    Mylorne frowned deeply, wondering how he should go on about this task. Even with his vast wealth and connections, he still failed to notice the presence of the Tree in New York. The satellite images moments before the Tree''s resurrection had shown that the ground zero was the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It stood to reason that En-men-lu-ana came specifically to the U.S.A in order to access something in the museum. An old relic, an ancient artifact of some kind ¨C or maybe it was just a coincidence.


    Mylorne kneaded his temples, weighing the pros and cons of him stepping back out into the limelight. He had, for the better part of the last two millenniums, hid behind the shadows, never truly exerting a visible pressure on the directions of the history. But things were different now; with the appearance of this one divine Tree, the end of the human race''s independence had begun. Soon, more would rise and the ¡°gods¡± would take interest in this planet once more.


    No, maybe they never truly forgot about this planet at all.


    Mylorne Akkad had no idea where to even begin in order to find the nesting places for the other trees. He had some inkling but that was just that, a hunch, and in truth, he could be wrong. The planet Earth was a sizable one and it was pretty much impossible to scour it completely, even with his incredible wealth. It just couldn''t be done.


    But if he went to New York personally, then maybe he could find a clue. Even better, he could capture the ¡°vessel¡± for En-men-lu-ana and get the truth out that way.


    The question, though, was whether he should do it. He may be an immortal, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t die. Oh no. In fact, he was not that strong, physically. Someone like Cleo Costanza would overpower him if she was dead serious. Well, she was a Super augmented with the genes of Hercules, so there was that, but still.


    So, looking at the matter in a cold, logical view, what chances did he have in New York?


    Akkad took another glance at the monitor showing the pyramid. He felt slightly helpless right now. He couldn''t call Jack, nor could the boy inquire as to what was happening outside. And the boy, as the direct descendant of the God-King Gilgamesh, was the only hope for the mankind right now.


    Could Jack shoulder such a huge burden? Mylorne Akkad wasn''t sure. The boy was too immature, too green and naive and idealistic. He wouldn''t survive for an hour in the real world. The comfy suburbia life had spoiled the great seedling of a warrior into a potential pudgy middle-class wastrel. Nearly.


    Luckily, the boy had awakened just in time and the damage may not be too severe. Mylorne could remold him, back into the monstrous powerhouse he was supposed to be. To rightfully reclaim his position as the King of all Kings. Only then, would Mylorne Akkad''s, or Utnapishtim''s, dream be fulfilled.


    He sighed and leaned back on his seat. He decided to endure for now and instead mobilize his contacts to search for the other Trees. And when Jack Mercer exits the pyramid, then he''d have to somehow bring that Tree down before it was too late. Akkad calculated that there was still a little bit of time before the Tree''s guardian beast, Humbaba, would appear in full strength. If that is so, then even Jack should have a decent chance of beating it with the aid of all the other Supers present there.


    Hell, the might of U.S Army was also focused there, so it was possible. No, it was completely doable. Mylorne Akkad was sure of it.


    He accessed his phone and made a call. His work was far from finished; it was only just getting harder. He needed to know more about how the hell En-men-lu-ana was able to break free from the eternal prison that the insane, undying ruler was thrown into.


    Mylorne was quite sure that it was indeed En-men-lu-ana who was responsible for this upheaval. That golden skull was as good an evidence as any. Because of him, the human race was met with the Second Great Calamity, the Cleansing Flood, that nearly wiped two-thirds of the population as well as the culture and progress of the civilization back then.


    Thinking back to the time when he barely survived the ordeal, Mylorne Akkad''s face became a lot darker. He had lost so much that day, and had gained this immortality curse at the same time.


    Since then, he survived the Third Great Calamity by the skin of his teeth. He had absolutely no intentions of going through a fourth as well if he could help it.


    Clenching his fist in anger, he waited for the call to be connected, but instead, it went to a voicemail. He tried it again but no cigar.


    What the.... did he get affected by the destruction of Manhattan? Shouldn''t be ¨C Milosevic is based around Brooklyn and Queens. He shouldn''t have a reason to be on the island at all.


    A flash of worry added another crease on his face.


    That bastard better not be dead. That girl''s power is essential to my cause, now more than ever. Damn it, I shouldn''t have trusted someone like that criminal!!


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!! Well, it doesn''t have to be a lot..... even a single buck would be fine, you know.)

 Red Souls Chapter 22: The Ancestor

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 22: The Ancestor</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Inside the red pyramid, a different type of struggle for survival was unfolding, involving a boy and monsters. Lots of monsters.


    At first, it was the bear/wolf hybrid creature. One after the other, without fail, they appeared every ten minutes. The battle became progressively difficult as the time went on. Jack found it tough, but somehow, he held on using nothing more than his athleticism, knowledge gained ¨C or implanted ¨C from the dreams of the past, and his unexplainable ability to read the situation and react accordingly.


    A day passed inside the red pyramid while he struggled, just like that. How did Jack know? The display showing up in the helmet told him so.


    After that, the pattern of the monster changed. He had to fight two at the same time. This lasted almost another day.


    For the third day, the type of the monster changed instead. Instead of the eyeless, long-eared creature, he fought against a frog-like thing with a feline head with the body size of a bull. Oh yes. Couldn''t get any more bizarre than that, he mused at the time.


    These strange monsters could leap a humongous distance, like how a frog ought to. As if to compensate, the diameter of the battleground, as named by Jack, expanded to the size of a football field with the red crystal safe zone smack dab in the middle.


    Besides the leaps, its body was coated in a slimy material that seemed to reduce damage from the blunt attacks. Killing one became a chore as a result. And this monster also utilized its sharp claws on the front paws. Dodging them was pretty tough.


    If it weren''t for the fact that whenever the new monster type or the pattern showed up and the difficulty reset to the ¡°very easy,¡± he''d have long ago perished. And the fact that there was a sanctuary offered by the barrier surrounding the red crystal. Without those, Jack would have pressed the escape button a long time ago. This revolving battle of attrition would have driven the sturdiest man to an early grave for sure.


    Jack ate, tried to rest and.... did his business within the safe zone''s confines. Doing a number two was a hassle, though ¨C taking the suit off and putting it back on alone unaided, even if it was just the lower part, proved to be a real pain in the rear. But true to the title given, the safe zone was indeed safe, not a single monster daring to get closer while Jack did his things. As for where he did his number two.... well, there was a special bag for that placed inside the supply crate. A supplementary guide on how to use the said bag was uploaded into the suit''s PDA. That was quite thoughtful, Jack mused once more.


    Being able to sleep, even if it was for a short amount, would have helped a massive deal. Of course, he couldn''t close his eyes even if wanted to. Not only was he stuck in a high-stress environment, the constant snarling of the monsters prowling outside the barrier got on his nerves constantly.


    He understood that, without another way to access his Soul Sphere and enhance his body with the reserve of red souls, this revolving battle of attrition would only get harder and harder until he''d end up dying. So he forced himself to get some rest, doing his best to ignore all the distractions there could be.


    His first attempt at falling asleep failed. He was just too nervous and jittery. And when he did eventually shut his eyes off, the rest only lasted for a minute before he woke up with a start. He couldn''t even get near the state of entering the Soul Sphere.


    But by the end of the third day, he was too exhausted not to. He leaned against the escape pedestal and closed his eyes, finally falling into a slumber for a couple of hours.


    His access to the Soul Sphere was a brief but a frantic one; Jack hurriedly went about repairing all the internal injuries he received. And there were many small wounds, mostly from getting struck by the monsters and their attacks. The sharp claws couldn''t penetrate past the Kevlar survival suit, but the impact force behind each attack still got past and hurt Jack.


    Finding himself floating in this space, Jack quickly commanded the newly absorbed red souls and merged them into all the parts that were hurting. Of course, he had half a mind to use everything in one go, but at the corner of the Sphere, the souls consisting of his classmates would always stay there. He''d never, ever even think about using them.


    There was this hope, a foolish one at that, of giving his friends and Emily a chance for a revival of some kind. He knew it was ludicrous. He knew there was no way. But a part of him held out. At least, when he grasped a better control over his abilities, maybe then he could release these souls and let them enter the afterlife or heaven or whatever.


    Even as a someone not too interested in religion, he''d like that.


    Healing up robbed him of the majority of the absorbed souls. Out of the reserve, probably as much as 60% had to be spent. With that done, he hurriedly put the rest into his muscle enhancing. This task was a little different from how he healed his wounds.


    First, he had to imagine the body part that he wanted to enhance, be that his liver or biceps. Then, guide a certain amount of souls towards the said body part, making them enter. Visualize the part and the souls merge as one. Job done.


    In the past, he feared any unknown side effects from dumping a lot of souls into his body at once so he took it slow but now that he was pressed for time, he rushed and poured a lot at one go. A stinging pain erupted out of the targetted areas, forcing him out of the Soul Sphere and out of his sleep.


    Jack stared dumbly at the monstrous creature prowling the barrier''s perimeter.


    Wow, that was a first, mused Jack. That was unexpected. So, if I tried to forcibly enhance spec too much at one go, there''s a backlash? Damn it, so I gotta watch out for that, too?


    Jack frowned bitterly, unhappy at the fact that his own body was making it difficult for him. Nothing seemed nice and easy at the moment.


    But the thoughts of giving up and leaving this damn place never entered his mind. Well, he did entertain it a couple of times, but he quickly quashed it under the grim determination to move forward with himself.


    The temptation to escape was always nearby, though. And it was doing its darndest to entice him into pressing that shining crystal on top of the pedestal next to him.


    It shouted, oh hey, you''re an idiot for not pressing me!! Come on!! Do it!!


    Looking at that thing reminded Jack of how he was scammed into entering this place. Mylorne Akkad conned him with a grand tale of heroes and righteousness and all that crap.


    Logically speaking, Jack really had no reason to be here in the first place, risking his life and limb to get stronger. Yes, he wanted his revenge, but was it worth putting his life on the line? Was it really? He was unsure about it. He was unsure of his own motivations. He was unsure of his goals.


    Yet he chose to stay. Because this was the path he needed to tread. His mind may waiver, but he would grit his teeth and bite his lower lip, reminding himself of the reason why he chose to walk this road, scammed or not.


    You should have moved.


    Taylor''s sharp criticism rang true in his head even now. As she explicitly reminded him, Jack had the power and the potential to stop more tragedy from happening to other people. The only thing holding him back was his own indecisiveness. No, it was more cowardice than anything else, really.


    He was scared of being a monster, treated as one, shunned by everyone.


    Afraid of becoming a monster?


    Then, why not become a god?


    Mylorne told him the night before after handing out a smackdown disguised a sparring session. Words coming from a guy who was older and superior to him in almost every quantifiable way sounded a lot more persuasive than his own mind.


    Afraid of being ostracized? Afraid of being frowned upon? Afraid of being hated, feared, distrusted? Then become something that surpasses humanity itself!!


    Become a god that not even fate can meddle with. Become a being that transcends the mortal coil and smash apart the common sense of this world.


    Become the savior of this world.


    Jack could only smile wryly, recalling those passionate words. He was conned by these very words, after all.


    He held no grand delusion of being a hero, a savior of the world and the human race. Stuff like that was something for guys like Alpha Man and Vanguard. They were ideally suited for that kind of roles.


    No. Jack''s purpose was different, his desires altogether less heroic in nature. All he wanted to do was to kill Falcon and Master Evil. And in that process, maybe, just maybe, make sure another one of him would never be created again, another one birthed from the mires of tragedy like him.


    When he thought like that, a wry smile instead of a bitter frown formed on his face. No matter how he cut it, his excuses for being here sounded noble. Like a goddamn hero. Like a wannabe savior.


    Shaking his head slightly, Jack took off his helmet and set it aside on the ground next to him. The intense, nauseating smell of the feline/frog monster assaulted him almost immediately.


    He groaned and waved off the odor away from his nose. The creature continued to prowl, emitting that foul stench from its frog-like body.


    Jack was reminded of watching a big cat behind the cage in a zoo. Of course, the situation was slightly reversed, with him inside a cage. Or was it a wrong way of looking at things? He couldn''t tell. His point of reference seemed to get a little crooked somehow. Maybe it was the case of over exposure to Gilgamesh and his over-the-top antics, the ancient God-King''s personality rubbing off on him, although the memories were all too fragmented to really give Jack a clear picture.


    Jack sighed again, then crinkled his nose as more of that disgusting smell pervaded his senses. He wiped the sweat away from his face and felt the texture of the glove brush against his skin. The smooth surface was caked in dirt, streaked with the salty liquid from the pores.


    A god who can live his life unafraid of fear and ostracization? A being capable of overcoming fate?


    Jack mused to himself, a wry smile that wasn''t really a smile remaining on his lips. It was true that Gilgamesh in Jack''s dreams, his memories of the past life was a god-like being, who was loved by his people for his grand accomplishments and benevolence ¨C and feared by his enemies in equal measure. That was the impression he got, fragmented memories or not.


    The one question that kept on popping up in his mind was whether he could become a person like that. Mylorne Akkad pledged his support for that very cause, but could he really become that guy if he remained wishy-washy over things like he was before?


    No, I can''t. Not like that. I am the.... clone of Gilgamesh. I am the perfect copy. He and I have the exact same body. I face the exact same condition as he did. This is as simple as it gets ¨C I just need to stay on course and not give up.


    Jack lightly slapped his face and slowly got up. His muscles no longer screamed in pain. He didn''t feel refreshed or content, but at the same time, not too bothered. He chose to be here. The pain and aches and the deadly risks all came with the decision he made. They were his cross to bear.


    Jack stretched his arms above his head, feeling the restored muscles stretch tautly under the survival suit. It was regretful that he couldn''t really enhance his specs, but that didn''t mean he could try to go back to sleep. He didn''t feel fatigued enough for that and he knew himself the best ¨C in his current condition, he''d need a pretty strong sleeping pill to knock him out.


    He could feel that there was a little more strength flowing him, though. Some of the souls must have made their way into his body, it seemed.


    Jack glared at the monster, knowing he should get going for another round. He didn''t fear the damn thing at all. If anything, he was looking forward to killing it. If it was him from a month ago, Jack would run at the first sign of trouble. But now?


    After his head was slowly filled up with the knowledge of the battlefield from the previous life, his desire to apply them right here against the monsters increased steadily. Coupled with his determination to remain and absorb more red souls, there was no way he''d be scared of the foul-smelling creatures now.


    Jack reached down to grab his helmet and put it on. Making sure his body was moving according to his will with no issues, he got ready to step out of the safe zone once more.


    Then he noticed something strange with the escape crystal. It was no longer shining.


    Question marks floated over Jack''s head as he got closer to examine it. Before he could prod it with his fingertips, there was a slight change in the environment surrounding him.


    Suddenly, the entire world inside the red pyramid became dark. Darker than a moonless night. As dark as a black ink, untouched by the ends of a brush.


    Jack stiffened and quickly took guard. Around him, he could see nothing at all. The smelly monster was gone, and so did the spinning walls of the pyramid. The giant red crystal, the pedestal, the supply crate and he were clearly visible but other than that, he could see nothing at all.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡±


    Jack, unsure of whatever this was, quickly pressed the escape crystal. Nothing happened.


    He was stunned into silence, before he hurriedly depressed the crystal again. And again. And again. And absolutely nothing happened. He was still surrounded by the total darkness.


    ¡°Hey, wait a damn minute. Am I.... am I trapped in here?! Is that what this is?!¡±


    Color drained out of Jack''s face. He started to panic, and hurriedly accessed the communication device built into the survival suit. He knew it didn''t work, but he hoped for a miracle.


    Of course, the only thing he got in the receiver was a distant static.


    His confused panic naturally grew. He didn''t mind staying here and getting stronger, but that was when he could leave whenever he wanted to. No one said he''d be trapped in here and potentially never see the light of the day. That was not a part of the deal.


    Jack gripped the metal baton tightly and remained vigilant while his mind worked overtime. All sorts of bad scenarios filled his head, one after the other. But there was no change in the world outside the barrier. It remained pitch black.


    Jack looked down to his feet and saw the same darkness. He lightly tapped the ¡°ground¡± and felt the solidity below. He couldn''t help but compare this darkness to the one he experienced while he was transported to the ancient world in his memories. The similarities were there, although he could be wrong.


    But if he wasn''t wrong....


    Suddenly, from above, a spot of light began to peek out in the darkness, gradually spreading out wider and wider. The darkness faded away eventually and now, Jack found himself standing on a wide open grassy plain.


    ¡°What the.... is this a part of my memories? But.... hmm.¡±


    Jack surveyed the area, as far as his eyes could take in. This place felt alien, foreign. He blinked his eyes a few times more but the sight before him didn''t change no matter how many times he did. He really was standing in the middle of nowhere, not inside the pyramid.


    This grassy plain stretched as far as his eyes could see. Below Jack''s feet, thin grass stalks sprouting from the gaps of bold gray rocks replaced the inky blackness. Bending down, he brushed the ground and saw the hint of dust rise. He then picked up a pebble and flicked it out of the safe zone barrier.


    It felt real, not illusory. Thanks to the survival suit he couldn''t feel the texture of the pebble but he could still sense its weight. An illusion or, heaven forbid, hologram, shouldn''t have bulk, or so Jack reasoned. The piece of earth he held in his hand was as real as it got. This felt more and more real ¨C the sensation that his dreams couldn''t manage to convey until now. Wherever this was, it was definitely not a dream.


    Jack was trying very hard not to panic too much. He had encountered a lot of crazy stuff of late, so it paid to be as open-minded as possible about everything. If he was a fan of Sci-Fi genre, he''d say, this was teleportation and that he had fallen victim to it. Probably.


    He still felt helpless, though. There was nothing he could do about the growing dread in the pit of his stomach, realizing that, maybe he was stuck in this plain with no way to go home.


    The display on the helmet''s visor said there was no issue with the air quality. The temperature was moderate, too. The wind speed was a gentle breeze. It was a nice day for a picnic, all things considered.


    Jack scanned the horizon once more hoping to see something, anything, to help him figure where he was. In the distance, there was a mountain range; on the opposite side, a brown desert. No forests or signs of civilization anywhere. For that matter, no signs of any living creatures either. Not even insects nor birds. He was utterly alone.


    The sky above was gray and dim as if all color was sucked out. The clouds passed by like speeding cars on the highway, rushing past and constantly changing their shapes. The looming sun was huge and its rays piercing.


    The more he looked, the more convinced he became that there was truly nothing out here. An utter desolation was the only appropriate term Jack could think of.


    Behind him, the red crystal still stood tall, emitting that vivid red glow. The escape pedestal remained too, seemingly daring him to come and press the dull, dead crystal on top. To the side, the unopened supply crate. Surrounding him and the small area, the safe zone''s barrier.


    ¡°Just what the hell is going on here?! Huh? Where am I?¡±


    Jack mumbled out in frustration. The GPS function in the PDA was not responding. If he was somewhere on the planet Earth, at least he''d get some kind of pingback. No GPS signal could mean that this wasn''t Earth. Or maybe he was still inside the red pyramid and all this was nothing more than an incredibly advanced hologram. An illusion capable of fooling even the most observant eyes in the world.


    ¡°Hello? Is anyone out there?!¡±


    Jack shouted out at the top of his lungs. Since there was literally nothing to reflect back, there was no echo. The only other sound he could hear was the gentle breeze.


    At a complete loss, Jack stumbled until he found the edge of the supply crate and sat on it, quivering in shock. He couldn''t see properly, his visions blurring. He could only hear his thundering heartbeat and nothing else. He felt confined, trapped.


    Angrily, he pulled off the damn helmet and dropped it on the ground. The air entering his lungs unrestricted by the helmet felt refreshing and cool.


    He almost fell head first into a pit of despair but manage to catch himself just before that happened. It''d be too easy to wallow in self-pity. The prospect of spending the rest of his days stuck in this world was not his idea of a vacation. No, it sounded like a prison. Besides, there would be numerous problems to solve ¨C like, what should he do with food? There was a lot of MREs in the supply crate, but that would run out eventually.


    What about drinking water? Again, the supply would not last. And he saw not one source of water nearby. And what about shelter from the hostile elements? A place to sleep? His family?


    But he gritted his teeth and breathed the cool air deeply one more time. He was not going to sit here and complain. No, he would see this as another part of the trial to become the god that he was capable of. Water? Food? A roof over his head? If he needed it, he would go out and secure it. And he would see his family, sooner or later, after he conquered this place.


    Jack chose to see this new world as a testing ground, a massive challenge for survival in order to forge him into a tougher, stronger being. And he was determined to score the full marks at the end of it all.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Bring it on. I ain''t scared of you!!¡±


    Jack growled in a low voice.


    As if to answer him, a voice suddenly spoke from behind, scaring the bejesus out of Jack.


    ¡°What are you doing, boy?¡±


    Jack shot up like a scalded cat from the supply crate and quickly spun around to face the owner of that voice.


    And to his shock, there was a person sitting on an elaborate throne of limestone. He wasn''t there before, yet now, there he was. There was a certain disdainful haughty frown on the man''s face as he propped his head on his right hand, his legs crossed like a bored emperor surveying his subjects.


    However, the real problem wasn''t the sudden appearance of this mystery person. No, the real issue was that the man had Jack''s face. Literally, his face, a feature for feature, it was exactly the same.


    Calling him a man was a misnomer, though, as he was a teenager just like Jack was. If it weren''t for a golden garb adorned in jewels and the limestone throne, Jack would''ve made the mistake of believing that he was looking at a mirror reflection.


    The man on the throne asked again.


    ¡°What are you doing, boy?¡±


    Jack was speechless for a while. Hearing himself ask that question while calling him a boy seemed a bit.... unusual.


    ¡°Uh.... I, uh, am... here to.... get stronger.¡±


    Jack stuttered slowly, still on guard, unsure what this was or who this could be.


    The other Jack shook his head, disdain on his face growing noticeably.


    ¡°To think, that a bumbling child is my direct bloodline descendant. This.... this is disappointing.¡±


    The other Jack cranked his neck and stood up abruptly. The limestone throne turned translucent and dissipated into the thin air. But even more surprisingly, the other Jack started changing as well.


    Gone were the regal robe of an ancient world, and an impressive set of heavy red armor took its place. The teenaged face morphed, a bushy beard forming on the chin; the previously short hair growing long and straight until it reached the back of the shoulders, whipping powerfully on the whistling winds that kicked up suddenly. His entire body seemed to grow a few inches taller, his bulk increasing accordingly. Now, the man became a hulking figure that looked like a blood-thirsty warrior, a monarch of countless lands and a judge of million souls.


    Jack was immediately forced to retreat by the incredible pressure and a thick killing intent oozing from this man. He stumbled back involuntarily, his confusion and alarm constantly shooting up.


    ¡°Who are you?! No, wait a second. What the hell are you? You... can''t be possibly real.¡± Jack hastily shouted before bringing his baton in a defensive posture. Right now, this weapon looked comically inept for the situation.


    The heavily armored man directly entered the safe zone''s barrier as if it didn''t exist and stood before Jack. He had an unimpressed expression, a scowl even. Then, with a loud snort, he reached out. A thick halberd appeared up high in the sky and slammed down on the ground, causing a serious tremor. The man grabbed the weighty polearm with only one hand and pointed it at Jack.


    ¡°Do you not feel our resonance? I am your ancestor. From your past. When your blood came from the long line of true gods, when a mere mention of my name stirred a damnable fear in the hearts of weaklings!!


    ¡°I am the Conqueror of all men, an undisputed devil under the skies, the King of Uruk, the greatest nation on earth ¨C I am Gilgamesh!!¡±


    Gilgamesh then powerfully swung the halberd. A thick shockwave spread out and washed over Jack. His heart thumped in panic and he hastily ducked down.


    The powerful wave of energy continued past the face-planting Jack on the ground and exploded past the safe zone''s barrier. And as soon as it hit the air outside, the wave clashed powerfully with the very fabric of this world and began to cut apart reality. Jack could hear the sharp cracking noise behind him, above him, all around him. It was a heart-stopping symphony of destruction


    When he carefully looked back, his jaw dropped in pure terror. Even if this grassy plain was nothing more than an illusion, the damage caused by that swing of the halberd was still astonishing to behold.


    There was a crescent-shaped crater where the earth was overturned. The crater was huge, its dimension enough to hold several football matches inside. And this destruction hadn''t ended yet, as Jack could still see the earth continuously being blown away. Soon, the distant mountains would be next to bear the brunt of the shockwave.


    Jack''s back was coated in buckets of cold sweat. That was a serious demonstration of pure destructive power.


    ¡°Stand up.¡±


    The imposing man, Gilgamesh, spoke again. No, he commanded Jack, in a voice that no one could possibly rebel against.


    Jack trembled like a wet dog and stood up on the unsteady pair of legs. Almost every hair on his body was standing up from awe and shock. A lot of that also came from fear as well.


    ¡°You are me.... You''re... You are Gilgamesh? The Gilgamesh of the legend?¡±


    Gilgamesh nodded and took a powerful step forward. The ground shook again under his feet.


    ¡°But how? Is this an illusion? Or did I travel back in time? But that''s not possible, am I right?¡± Jack stammered while taking a defensive step backwards.


    Gilgamesh shook his head. ¡°No, you did not travel back in time. Neither am I an illusion conjured up by your frail state of mind. Hear me, my descendant. I am the remnant will of the God-King left behind within the cracks of this dimension, waiting for the day you cause a trouble. In essence, I am Gilgamesh and at the same time, I am not he.¡±


    ¡°I... I don''t get it.¡±


    Jack took another step back, slightly widening the distance between him and Gilgamesh''s so-called remnant will. But that gap was shortened in a blink as the man in the big red armor literally teleported right in front of Jack.


    ¡°There is nothing to get, boy. This body is an imprint of my soul, that is watching over these damnable structures as a safeguard. You have obviously stumbled into one yourself, triggering the appearance of this will. Now, I shall perform the duty assigned to this projection of will and eject you from this world before it''s too late.¡±


    Jack''s lips hung loose, further confused by the assault of the incomprehensible words on his brain.


    ¡°Before it''s too late? What do you mean?¡±


    Gilgamesh clicked his tongue as if Jack''s questions were annoying him. ¡°That attack of mine was to sever the mental connection you unwittingly formed with the other side of the Dark Void. Usually, warriors subjected to this trial would not arouse the interest of the false gods, the Anunnaki, but you''re different. You are my descendant. In you, flows my blood. My seeds. The Anunnaki would be fools not to notice you going through the trials inside this structure.¡±


    Jack was even more confused at this. ¡°I... what? What''s an Anunnaki? What are you talking about, what mental connection? It''s true that I saw this whole thing as a trial, but this is the only place to get stronger in the shortest amount of time!! There''s something bad going on outside and I need to do this!!¡±


    Gilgamesh cocked an eyebrow, showing a slight surprise. ¡°Outside? Such as? What types of tribulations does my descendant suffer from?¡±


    ¡°I''m not 100% sure, but there''s a vassal of En-men-lu-ana wrecking a havoc in a city far from here. I do not know his purpose, nor what he wants, but I need to stop him, before he kills more innocent people!!¡±


    ¡°Ho? A vassal of that mad dog? Hmm. I thought his imprisonment was final, that he would never be free of the curse of the Great Below. Hmph. A vassal shouldn''t even give you trouble. Just send your own vassals to take care of such trivial matters. You''re a child of kings, so let your retainers worry about the woes befalling the world of the commoners.


    ¡°Remember that you come from the long line of superior beings, the beings comparable to the true gods. You should not involve yourself much over the matters of the mortal world, boy.¡±


    Jack was stunned to hear this. These words were not what he had expected to hear from a king who was supposedly beloved by his subjects. No, these were the words of a man who only cared about his appearance and image.


    A sudden realization dawned on Jack, thinking that maybe his assessment of his ancestor was wrong.


    ¡°But, weren''t you the most powerful man on this planet? Why would you not help your own people? Why shouldn''t I help others when I have the strength to do so?¡±


    Gilgamesh dismissively waved his hand.


    ¡°I built my strength to enjoy life, not to sacrifice my being for some feckless mouth breathers who can''t even write my name properly on stone. That''s all there is to it. Why should I lose sleep over those weaklings? They must cultivate individual strength and take care of themselves.¡±


    Jack''s face waned all of a sudden. He didn''t expect to hear such a selfish reasoning from the original/ancestor.


    From the snippets of the story Jack heard from Mylorne Akkad as well as the memory fragments, he thought that Gilgamesh was a remarkable warrior who led the whole of humanity against the oppressive gods ¨C in other words, a hero.


    But this guy? He wasn''t a good guy.


    Was Jack wrong? Was Gilgamesh a jackass who only cared about himself and no one else? But how could he befriend Utnapishtim and Enkidu and that woman from his dreams? Why did the citizens of Uruk worshiped him and sang his name in reverence?


    The images of Gilgamesh from the descriptions and this Gilgamesh didn''t match at all. Jack was hopelessly confused here.


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait. This doesn''t make sense. I.... No, right!! Hey, if you don''t care about anyone except yourself, why did you leave behind a.... an imprint here as you say? Why are you here to save me?¡±


    ¡°Simple. My enemies are numerous. And they can be persistent too. I''ll be damned if I let those stinking sons of fatherless goats take advantage of my bloodline after I''m gone.¡±


    Finished with explaining his position, Gilgamesh grabbed the halberd with both of his hands and got into a stance.


    ¡°I am going to destroy this structure''s hold over you. That should do the trick. You shall go home and get stronger somewhere else. No shortcuts, boy!! Got that?¡±


    Gilgamesh grabbed Jack''s shoulder and began squeezing. Jack felt a huge weight pressing down. Jack quickly raised his voice, stopping whatever Gilgamesh was about to do.


    ¡°No, wait a damn minute!! Stop for a second, please. I, uh, have so many questions and if you are really not a fragment of my imagination, you can answer them, right?¡±


    Gilgamesh frowned unhappily but withdrew his hand for a bit. ¡°Fine. I shall spare you a moment of breaths. Ask away, but be quick about it, boy.¡±


    Jack took a deep breath and quickly rearranged his thoughts.


    He really did have a lot of questions swirling around in his mind. He couldn''t afford to lose this chance since there was no guarantee that he''d be able to ¡°meet¡± Gilgamesh again.


    ¡°Right, so, uh, how did you get here? I mean, this pyramid we''re in right now, is located on another continent altogether. Don''t tell me you traversed the Atlantic Ocean as well?!¡±


    ¡°That is your first question? Aren''t you a funny child. Well, a pyramid, huh? That''s what you call these damnable structures? Bah, it doesn''t matter what it''s called.


    ¡°These structures, these traps, are built by the false gods, the Anunnaki, to recruit potential pawns to control the humanity. They want to groom strong individuals so they entice the talented ones here and throw them carrots, a promise of fame and glory.


    ¡°For that purpose, the Anunnaki have built many, many structures all over the world. This one is just another, nothing more. Once a talented warrior survives up to a certain stage, a deceptively obtuse mental link is made between the clueless warrior and the presiding Anunnaku.


    ¡°I too, was once seduced by the purported rewards and had entered one of these structures. But I found out the true purpose of this structure, this trial, and chose to not to become their puppets. I answer to no one but myself!!


    ¡°The Anunnaki unwisely decided to become my enemy when they failed to control me. Hmph, that was the costliest mistake they have ever made!!


    ¡°Anyways. I left behind an imprint of my soul behind, knowing that each of these structures is interconnected to one another. If a foolish descendant of mine ignores my warnings and sets foot in any one of them, I appear to save them. As simple as that.¡±


    Harrumphing, Gilgamesh nodded his head.


    Jack didn''t know what to say here. The answer he got only brought about yet more questions.


    Did Mylorne Akkad know about this? He is the Immortal, after all. He had lived for millenniums before the Gilgamesh''s time. Logically, he should have known about this pyramid and its real functions. But why didn''t he tell me? Or is that because he didn''t know?


    Watching that Jack had fallen silent, Gilgamesh became impatient and urged the boy. ¡°Are you finished? If you have no more queries to satisfy, I shall do what I''m here for.¡±


    ¡°No, no, wait. Uh... right!! Right. Yeah, how do I enhance my body without going to sleep? You know, the Soul Sphere thing.¡±


    Gilgamesh made a weird face as if he just heard something incredulous. ¡°Huh? You don''t even know how to quickly utilize red souls?! How much did my bloodline decline in the intervening years?! How old are you, boy? Huh? When I was at your age, I could freely wield red souls as I wished.


    ¡°You should''ve at least received a proper instruction on how to control your Battle Sense and along with that, accessing your Sphere too. Just who is your negligent martial combat tutor?¡±


    Jack, for the second time in a few minutes, was left speechless. Jack could see now that Gilgamesh was under some sort of misunderstanding here, thinking that the world hadn''t changed from his time.


    But what could Jack say here to resolve this? After all, he was talking to someone that was not really Gilgamesh at all but a projection of a will, whatever that meant.


    Not knowing where to begin, Jack simply chose to come clean. If the other party failed to understand, that was not his problem. ¡°See, the thing is, I only began to learn about myself and what I can do about a month ago.¡±


    This time, it was Gilgamesh was stunned and he took a step back.


    ¡°What? You''re my blood, so how come you were not trained until now? What nonsense is this?! Ah, so that explains why you''re like that earlier, lost and meek and quite a disappointment. Hmph, have my glorious House gone that soft? Did the shining martial spirit of my blood wane in the face of peace? Is that it?¡±


    Jack felt like doing a facepalm before stopping himself.


    ¡°No, that''s not it. You''ve lived over five, six thousand years ago, maybe even more than that. Times have changed. For the better, I mean. People have no reasons to take up arms and fight nowadays.¡±


    After saying that, Jack realized what he had said wasn''t entirely true. There were wars still raging in many pockets of the world. He was embroiled in one, too. Times may have changed but the battles continued. Nothing had changed, much, since the ancient times.


    He was simply thinking that there wasn''t any conflict out there simply because he hadn''t been exposed to the darker side of the humanity until recently.


    Jack shut his mouth. If he spoke any further, he''d end up exposing how naive his thoughts were.


    Gilgamesh pursed his lips. ¡°Hah? What is this boy mumbling about? Doesn''t matter how many years had passed. Humans will never, ever change their nature. You ever heard the saying of how the snow leopard never changes its spots? It''s the same with man''s heart. Five thousand years, ten thousand years, hundred thousand years ¨C human beings will always be at war with another.¡±


    Jack sighed and nodded his head in agreement.


    Gilgamesh continued. ¡°Alright, fine. You want to know how to access your Battle Sense? Hmm. You say it''s been only a month since you took up arms? If so, then it is by some kind of miracle that you have survived the trial until this stage.... You must have some latent talent then. That is good, because to develop the Battle Sense, you will need high perception which is accompanied by your inborn talent.¡±


    The Battle Sense, huh? Jack slowly scratched his chin. Right, maybe that''s what it was. When I was facing the coyote or the armed robber, or even against Cleo, I could accurately tell what might happen in the battle and make plans accordingly. That could be this so-called Battle Sense. So, I was inadvertently using it all this time? Even inside this pyramid?


    Jack was convinced. This deduction seemed logical. But how did this ¡°Battle Sense¡± relate to him not needing to go to sleep for the accessing of the Soul Sphere?


    ¡°If you can utilize the Battle Sense freely, then try not only to look at your opponents, but at your own body as well. Go on, try it. Depending on how good your understanding of the Battle Sense is, your ability to draw out a number of souls from the Sphere will change. Be glad that I am telling you this much, boy. I had to find this out the hard way. All alone.¡±


    Jack ignored the boasting tone of Gilgamesh and recalled those moments when the Battle Sense was active. After going through enough life-or-death battles within this pyramid, he had almost grasped the edge of controlling this supernatural sixth sense. With a little more practice, he could call forth this Battle Sense whenever he wanted to.


    And as his perception turned inwards, he saw it. There was a small red sphere the size of an apple slowly rotating within his heart. He was pretty sure that the sphere wasn''t really there in the physical form, but something more ethereal. Like, something out of magic.


    Within this sphere, Jack saw the red souls. They were swirling around soundlessly, seemingly waiting for him to pluck them out and do something.


    Jack held his breath. He had done it. He didn''t need to go to sleep every time to enhance his strength!! But as soon as he was about to reach into this sphere to pull out a soul, a piercing headache punched him in the side of his head, snapping him out of the Battle Sense ¡°mode¡±.


    Jack breathed heavily as he plopped down on the ground, confused.


    ¡°Ho. Not bad. That was your first try, wasn''t it? But you were able to see into your Soul Sphere, weren''t you? Not bad, not bad at all. Hmph, my approximation of your worth has increased a little. Be glad, boy.¡±


    ¡°What happened? Why couldn''t I....¡±


    Jack murmured in confusion, the pounding headache slowly subsiding in the meantime.


    ¡°You couldn''t forcibly maintain the battle sense for long because you are not proficient with it yet. Train harder, boy!! That is the only answer. With your latent talent, soon you''ll encounter no obstacles like that. Well, when I soon, it''s still decades for a runt like you.¡±


    Jack frowned slightly, feeling unhappy about the state of things. At least, he learned something valuable so it wasn''t a total loss. He now had to keep on trying from now on. But how does he train his Battle Sense, though? He dusted himself and got up, about to ask Gilgamesh for a tip on how to.


    Gilgamesh was at that moment, studying Jack''s armor. There was a glint of interest in his eyes. He didn''t even give Jack a chance to speak.


    ¡°Hmm. That is an intriguing armor, made with materials I''ve not yet seen before. But it''s not good enough for a descendant of mine. Well, I shall give you a reward for encountering me today like this. After all, our encounter is fate playing tricks on you, and my direct descendant suffers no foolish, petty dealings. Not on my watch.¡±


    With that, Gilgamesh pointed at the red crystal with his halberd. The giant crystal shook violently, before a good chunk the size of a person''s head broke off. Then, this bit dissolved into a huge swirling mist of red souls.


    Gilgamesh controlled this mist and separated it into several sections.


    ¡°Here we go.¡±


    Gilgamesh spun the halberd and lightly swung it towards Jack. The red souls rushed towards the boy and madly entered just about everywhere. An immense pain assaulted Jack and he almost screamed out in anguish but something inside of him, his primal instincts, told him not to. Maybe it was his pride telling him to endure.


    So, he gritted his teeth and did exactly that. Gilgamesh''s eyes glittered in silent approval.


    A few minutes later, the pain subsided and a gentle, soothing sensation enveloped him. Jack felt relaxed, comfortable ¨C a feeling akin to returning to a mother''s womb. Safe, and protected.


    ¡°I''ve enhanced what I thought was lacking in your body. It''s not by much, so you will still need to absorb more souls and train hard on your own. Also, I modified your armor somewhat. Don''t be alarmed, boy. There were some things I can''t recognize on that armor so I only improved its defensive capabilities.


    ¡°The true reward is this knowledge; know this, that you can actually enhance all your equipment, be that your weapons, your armor, the clothes you wear every day, whatever it is, as long as you can touch it, feel it, smell it, see it and taste it, you can enhance it.


    ¡°Hell, you may even choose to enhance your companions if you can spare the necessary souls.¡±


    Jack''s eyes went round in utter amazement at this new information. Jack looked down on the Kevlar survival suit, and while a few places were damaged during the previous trials, he could sense that they had changed somehow.


    Jack took in a deep breath to calm his excited mind. Jack wanted to thank his ancestor, but before he could open his mouth, the sky above them darkened suddenly and a deafening roar could be heard in the distance. The entire world seemed to shake from the sound wave alone.


    Gilgamesh''s face was full of irritation after hearing that roar.


    ¡°Tsk. Looks like they are seriously trying to get to you. We can''t dally around any longer. I''m sending you out of this place now. In the future, if you wish to get stronger, do it yourself and not look for a shortcut like this!! Destroy this structure as soon as you leave, got that?¡±


    Jack nodded hastily. He had other things to ask, but then, the roar became even louder, signaling that there was no more time to spare.


    The roaring caused Jack''s entire body to shake from unparalleled fear. He looked up into the sky and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when the gray clouds split open and a huge five headed dragon-like creature began to descend, surrounded by halos of bright lights.


    Before Jack could say anything else, Gilgamesh coldly harrumphed and took a step forward. He grabbed Jack''s shoulder and let out a short shout.


    ¡°Break for me!!¡±


    Then, the entire world shattered. The grassy plain, the descending five headed dragon, the gray clouds, everything. Even the image of Gilgamesh broke apart and shattered into countless fragments, scattering into the ether. The large, firm hand Jack felt on his shoulder was gone.


    Instead, he was back inside the pyramid. It was not spinning anymore. It was as if everything he had seen and heard was nothing more than his dream.


    He immediately tried to activate his Battle Sense, just to make sure he wasn''t hallucinating. And sure enough, he could see the small Soul Sphere rotating within his heart.


    None of that was fake. It really happened.


    As Jack was digesting these new discoveries, the helmet on the ground emitted crackling statics. He hurriedly came closer and picked it up. What he thought as a noisy static was actually a radio signal coming from the outside the pyramid. Someone was trying to contact Jack.


    He quickly put the helmet on and answered the call.


    ¡°Hello? Is anyone there? This is Jack Mercer.¡±


    ¡°Jack? Is that really you?! Oh wowsers, dude!! You okay in there? What happened? We suddenly saw your vitals appearing here in our monitors. Did you quit the training of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, something like that,¡± said Jack before remembering to ask about what had happened in New York while he was trapped in here.


    ¡°How long was I in here for? And what happened in New York? Is everyone alright?¡±


    ¡°Well, the proverbial sh*t had hit the fan there, Jack. You better come out and see for yourself.¡±


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!! Well, it doesn''t have to be a lot..... even a single buck would be fine, you know.)

 Red Souls Chapter 23: The Preparation

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 23: The Preparation</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Jack''s time immediately after leaving the red pyramid flew by in a flash. He got debriefed about what transpired outside while he was in there, and conversely had to debrief the scientists of his incredible experience as well. Normally, such a session of intense report & discussion would''ve taken a long, long time to complete, but it had to be done in a rush. The time was against everyone, after all.


    As soon as the news of Jack leaving the pyramid ahead of schedule ¨C or expectation ¨C reached his ears, Mylorne flew out of his trailer and met up with the exhausted teen. There were lots of important and pressing issues to deal with, the most serious one being the advent of the Divine Tree. Resting would have to wait.


    Needlessly to say, Jack was left utterly speechless by the appearance of the metallic object in Manhattan. He had no clear recollections of the Trees in the dreams yet, but there was one bit about him and his friend Enkidu putting everything on the line to kill a creature, The Guardian Beast Humbaba, in order to gain access to one of the said Divine Trees. And it was a real bloody struggle that left Gilgamesh and his pal bruised and near death.


    In truth, Jack believed that, overall, Humbaba wasn''t as terrifying as that five-headed dragon thingy and he felt less threatened by its potential. He thought the Guardian Beast could be killed if Mylorne Akkad achieved what he wanted to. With this belief, Jack said he''d go to New York right away. The initial preparations were completed pretty quickly after that.


    Of course, the meeting with Gilgamesh was mentioned to Mylorne Akkad, surprising the Immortal a great deal. Of course, it was done out of earshot from the researchers ¨C Jack thought it wouldn''t do them any good to hear about stuff like this just yet. Mylorne hadn''t been clear how much those guys knew and so, it seemed prudent to keep the matter between himself and Mylorne Akkad.


    After hearing that the red pyramid was a trap set by the false gods, the Anunnaki, Mylorne Akkad became shocked at first but quickly recovered and became rather philosophical about it.


    ¡°I''ll do something about it. For now, let''s not be hasty and destroy the pyramid, not just yet. There are benefits to be had, after all. I want to study the structure and its functions more thoroughly as I can disregard how intrusive each prodding could get, safe in the knowledge that now it''s worthless to you,¡± said Akkad.


    Jack went to take a quick shower following the conclusion of the debrief. That''s when he noticed that..... he had grown taller. Not by much, but he definitely did grow by a couple of inches. And he had gained muscle mass as well, a clear eight pack visible on his stomach. His biceps were taut, his legs not an ounce of fat on them. He wasn''t built like a beefcake bodybuilder, but like a long distance Olympic gold medalist swimmer.


    His old clothes could barely fit. Which was fine for now, since he had to put the Kevlar survival suit back on anyway.


    The suit itself went a thorough maintenance and cleaning, inside and out while he busily admired his new, totally ripped body. Grime and dirt, caked in sweat, accumulated on the innards of the suit and it stank hard so he had to request for this procedure. The various armor bits and pieces needed swapping, but Jack thought for a second before telling them not to bother on that front. Gilgamesh did something to it that increased the defense and it was more than likely better than what the scientists had on hand anyway.


    Meanwhile, the data recorded was collected from the various sensors mounted on the suit as well as the PDA. Supposedly they would offer a greater insight to how the whole place operated. Whether the red soul enhancement was captured or not, Jack didn''t hang around to confirm.


    Doctor McLean offhandedly remarked that the suit had grown in size and how strange that phenomenon was. Personally, Jack had no answer to give, although he had his suspicions, mainly Gilgamesh''s remnant will and the enhancement it did to the survival suit, definitely altering it, somehow. Probably, to match Jack''s increased body size.


    The shower felt like a godsend. All refreshed, Jack put back on the suit and waited for Mylorne Akkad who had to call the bigwigs gathered in New York. That call took a little bit of time, but as a billionaire with a far-reaching political influence, he was able to wrangle out a meeting with the interested parties.


    But before they could climb aboard the futuristic aircraft and set off to the city of New York, Mylorne stopped Jack on the landing pad and asked him with a serious look.


    ¡°Mister Mercer. Jack. You''re free to choose how you want to live your life. You''ve gained enough power to do so. I believe, right now, you could be an even match against the likes of Falcon. What I''m trying to say to you, is this. You don''t have to go to New York. This matter can be dealt with by the forces gathered there. You have no obligation to go there.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Jack tilted his head slightly.


    ¡°This road will take you down a very dangerous path. One where you might not make out alive. Would you rather not spend the rest of your life how it was used to be? Among friends and family? Why risk your life against those yet to do harm to you?¡±


    Jack sighed like the ground was sinking. ¡°You don''t have to tell me twice. Yeah, I know. This is stupid, me getting involved here. But I was going to stop the vassal of En-men-lu-ana anyway. He''s still in New York, right? And he caused this catastrophe, too.¡±


    Jack stopped here and looked down at his own hand. Covered in the unpainted material of the survival suit, it had this edgy, sinister and slightly menacing appearance. More importantly, it looked powerful, even to him.


    After a slight pause, Jack continued.


    ¡°You said it. I''ve got power now. I want to.... see if it''s really mine. No, that''s not right ¨C it is mine. I am Gilgamesh. But at the same time, I am not him. I want to know if I am.... me. Jesus, what the hell am I rambling on about? Look, the bottom line is this ¨C if that Tree isn''t brought down, then the bad guys who went to war with Gilgamesh will come back, right? And who will they target first? It''s me, and my family obviously. I am going to nip the bud before it sprouts into a bigger problem. I don''t trust anyone else to do the thorough job. That''s all.¡±


    Jack then climbed aboard the aircraft and took a seat on a bench placed in the cargo area. The survival suit, coupled to his increased bulk meant he didn''t really fit comfortably in the passenger seat.


    Seeing this, Mylorne Akkad chuckled softly and climbed in as well. Sitting down in the pilot''s seat, he turned slightly towards Jack and gently spoke. ¡°Very well. But the dangers you will face is still considerable. Perhaps you''d like to speak to your family before we set off?¡±


    Jack frowned but didn''t immediately answer. He slowly rubbed his chin and fell deep into a thought.


    Now that he thought about it in a relatively calm atmosphere, it might be a good idea to call home and let his family know that he was alright. The crazy thing was, he got kidnapped only late yesterday afternoon. Not even a full 24 hours had passed since then. Yet here he was, changed and raring to go to a place where a supernatural enemy was waiting for him.


    They would be worried sick by now. Cops and Supers would be out looking for him. Maybe, because of his ¡°fame,¡± the local TV networks might have carried his story in the evening news. The social media could be abuzz with his tale, too.


    He should really call his family and tell them.....


    Tell them what, exactly?


    Jack scratched the back of his head, not sure of what he''d say once the voices of his mom and dad came on the line. Mainly because, there was that thing about him being Min-jung''s guinea pig. Mylorne Akkad had presented a compelling set of evidence to back his story up. There was no denying that it all happened. And there were Cleo, Erik and Lei, too, if he had any doubts about it. All things told, the truth was, his own mother was involved in human experimentation. She was the damn project leader, for crying out loud. How could he forget that important fact? He couldn''t even accept it just yet, never mind feel okay enough to speak about it in the open.


    To think, his mother, who looked like any old typical suburban mom, was responsible for creating him, a potential monster. And that she was also to blame for the countless deaths of test subjects and the misery of Erik and his friends. That was not a good feeling. Doubly so, when thinking about the deception he lived through for the past 17 years or so.


    He, rightfully so, didn''t feel like calling home anymore.


    However....


    No, this is wrong, thinking like this. She''s my mother first and foremost. I should trust her more. At least, I need to hear her side of the story first.


    Nodding slightly, Jack gripped the grab handle to the side as the aircraft took off. Mylorne controlled the ascent and finally, they were off to the East.


    Once safely in the air, Jack asked the way to call someone, and Mylorne instructed on the usage of the onboard communication system. There was an access panel next to where Jack was and all he had to was find the phone function among the myriad of available options there. It used a satellite link, so even if someone wanted to trace the call, it wouldn''t be easy at all.


    After taking a bit of time to figure out the call function, he put the headphone on and dialed the number for his home, thinking that someone should be there.


    But there was no answer, no matter how long he waited. The phone kept on ringing and ringing until the answering machine kicked in. Puzzled slightly, he wondered if his family was out of the house, looking for him. That was a good possibility. But at least Dana should still be at home. She should''ve answered the phone. And then there were his paternal grandparents living on the other side of the city as well. They could''ve come to stay if a crisis had developed, such as the events of yesterday.


    A slight sensation of foreboding crept up on Jack like a stealthy assassin. His frown deepening, he dialed Bob''s mobile number. There was a robotic female voice on the other side telling him that the number was unavailable, that he should try again later. Puzzled, Jack tried again and again, but it was the same story no matter the number of attempts.


    Then, he called Min-jung''s number. The phone this time went straight to the personalized voicemail, but no answer. He called again to make sure, but it was the same story. He couldn''t call the offices either since it was a Sunday. Jack then desperately called his sister''s number. It rang, but still, no answer.


    His worries grew bigger. Jack asked if he could access the internet here and got an affirmative. The procedure was roughly the same as calling someone on the ground. He then checked out all of Dana''s social media pages, to see if she had made any new posts. That girl would never be too far away from posting a selfie or twitting a message. If she was fine, she''d be online and chatting away.


    The last recorded activity shown on all of her social media accounts was several hours ago. This in itself didn''t mean anything, but Jack''s worries didn''t lessen one bit. If anything it grew even larger.


    Something didn''t feel right. This could mean nothing, his family not reachable. They could be all out looking for him. But to not answer their phones if that was the case ¨C now that would be strange.


    ¡°Is something the matter, Jack?¡±


    Mylorne asked once he noticed a dark look on Jack''s face.


    ¡°Uhm, I''m not sure yet.¡±


    Jack shook his head and then dialed the number for his grandparents'' place. The ring went on for a few moments before it was picked up and the familiar voice came through from the other side.


    ¡°Grandpa, is that you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my goodness!! Jack!! Is that you, Jackie? Are you alright? Where are you right now?! Everyone''s sick to death worrying about you!!¡±


    Jack felt a slight bit of relief after hearing the voice of his grandfather. Recovering from his worries, even if it was only slightly, he quickly inquired about his family''s status.


    The answer he got brought a greater deal of relief. Bob was currently on the road, heading back home after leaving Dana at the elder Mercers'' residence. The road between the two Mercer residences had stretches where cellular signals were spotty at best. That could explain why the calls couldn''t get through.


    Min-jung was apparently at home but was probably still asleep, exhausted from trying to find Jack the whole night, so no answer on the phone. Dana forgot her phone at home, and the broadband speed at the grandparents'' place wasn''t so hot, so no social media for now.


    To put the rest of his worries to bed, he got to talk to Dana on the line as well. She was alternatively angry and happy and was asking a million questions at the same time. Jack could only tell her that he was okay, that he''d be home later. As to when that would be ¨C he couldn''t be sure.


    He also conveniently forgot to mention that he might not make it out alive, that this could be the last time she might hear his voice.


    Talking to his sister helped to calm his nerves a lot. Jack asked Dana to tell the rest of his family that he was fine. That he''d call them again later. And for sure, he''d get to see them soon.


    After hanging up, Jack was able to focus better. He took a deep breath and shook his head to clear his thoughts.


    Mylorne Akkad was also relieved slightly at the resolution of the boy''s troubles. But he was an Immortal. He lived for an extremely long time and had experienced a fair bit of troubles along the way. He silently ordered his A.I assistant, Minerva, to search for Min-jung''s whereabouts and report to him periodically with an update. Akkad didn''t mention anything to Jack, fearing that a wrong word or two could disrupt the boy and his focus.


    But it was true that Mylorne did feel a certain strange premonition of the future. And it made him uneasy. He enjoyed being in the driving seat, as the person who held all the cards and knew everything there was to know. Lately, though, he had come across other powers that interfered with his vision of the future. That rubbed him the wrong way, but Akkad hadn''t acted on it yet. It was not a good timing.


    Meanwhile, Jack was a lot more relaxed. His worries weren''t fully assuaged, but it''d have to do, for now. He closed his eyes and tried to sort out the jumbled, fragmented memories of the past. They always came to him out of sequence so Jack had to put them in the chronological order without a guidance. He wanted to see what the Guardian Beast Humbaba looked like and how it fought, so he could get a leg up when he eventually gets there.


    Hidden within the tangled mess of recollected memories seen through the dreams, the bits and pieces of information Jack wanted to see played a frustrating game of hide-and-seek. He could glimpse small snippets and gained a faint understanding of what''s what, but obviously, that wasn''t enough.


    What puzzled Jack was the creature itself. Gilgamesh did kill it, but the beast was supposedly an Immortal, an undying monster created by the gods to protect the divine Trees. Its physical body might be destroyed or killed off, but as long as its soul remained intact, it''d be able to revive after the ritualisitc sacrifices of countless other souls were made. And if all six Trees were active, then naturally, there would be six Humbabas as well.


    Hmm, so Humbaba might not be a name of the creature itself, but the name of that particular species? How does that work?!


    Jack shook his head and sighed. Whatever it was called didn''t help him in the slightest so it was a waste of time to even think about it.


    But what can I do to kill it? Mylorne Akkad said he will get the necessary cooperation, but.... hmm.


    There was a reason for Jack''s uncertainty. In the memories, the Guardian Beast was a huge monster possessing more than enough strength to crush a tank. And that wasn''t the end of its frightening abilities ¨C no, this creature had near-infinite vitality and stamina. Oh, and the incredible defense, too. Basically, it was a perfect fighting machine.


    And how should he fight it? With his bare hands? The baton he used inside the red pyramid was completely unsuited for what he was going to do later. He needed a proper alternative. Something powerful and weighty. Preferably lengthy, too. What he wanted was a laser gun or some such.


    As if he read Jack''s mind, Mylorne Akkad provided a good piece of news.


    ¡°When we get to New York, you will be furnished with a suitable weapon, a halberd. It''s still an experimental item and that was why I hadn''t provided you with it. But in order for you to survive today, you''ll need its capabilities.¡±


    ¡°A halberd?¡±


    Jack cocked an eyebrow. He nearly retorted that this wasn''t the Middle Ages and that personally, he''d preferred a badass sword, but Gilgamesh did enjoy swinging around weapons like that, so....


    Jack nodded his thanks and sunk back into his thoughts. Now that the issue of the weapon was resolved, the next thing he had to worry about was how to defeat Humbaba and to destroy the Tree. Jack furrowed his brows, concentrating as hard as he could.


    But he drew blanks. He knew that Gilgamesh did destroy the Trees somehow, but the methods escaped him. And as for Humbaba, its core had to be destroyed. What that core was ¨C Jack couldn''t remember either. It was quite frustrating, really.


    But logically, the core of the creature had to be on the body itself or somewhere nearby. Maybe the Tree was the core, he didn''t know. Sure felt strange that he had to go in totally blind while facing an unprecedented threat to mankind.


    Jack thought about taking a quick nap. It was true that he was still exhausted, both mentally and physically. The flight itself was a couple of hours long and it''d do him a world of good to rest before facing another big event. And maybe gain an access to the past memory fragments along the way.


    Jack informed Mylorne Akkad of his intentions and closed his eyes. He just hoped that he didn''t need a pill. He didn''t need it inside the red pyramid and he''d be very happy if he got rid of that addiction for good.


    He was aware of the need to train his Battle Sense too, but he had to take one step at a time. He wasn''t a Superman after all, and he was still a human, no matter how much enhancement was made to him.


    ~


    Jack woke up with a start after falling asleep without realizing it.


    The aircraft was still flying, and the sky outside the windows was slowly dyeing in orange. The sun was setting behind them and Jack could see the curvature of the Earth, the milky-white clouds failing to hide the ground beneath.


    Jack wondered what woke him so abruptly. He was in the middle of accessing the Soul Sphere so the interruption was not welcomed. Unfortunately, he hadn''t encountered any memory fragments, either.


    ¡°You''ve woken up,¡± said Mylorne Akkad. ¡°Come, take a seat next to me. Look at what''s up ahead, waiting for our arrival.¡±


    Taking up the invitation, Jack moved to the front, the cockpit, and gazed outside. What greeted him was the ominous sight of the Tree of the End.


    ¡°There it is,¡± whispered Jack under his breath.


    Seeing it on a computer screen and seeing it with his own two naked eyes had a very different mental impact. The Tree was incredibly tall. Even this far away, it was clearly visible. Colored in eerie orange hue thanks to the setting sun, the Tree of the End imparted this unsettling ancient aura that made his skin crawl.


    The sheer, immense scale of the Tree that was shaped like a bizarre metal spike/rod was difficult to fully commit to words. It stood arrow straight, gleaming like someone freshly polished it one hour ago; thick, threatening gray clouds coiled around the middle of it, and at the peak, the black, starry space beyond the atmosphere was visible, something that was as nonsensical as it logically could be.


    Looking at the incredible structure, Jack felt stupefied for a minute or two. How the hell was he going to topple such a thing to the ground? Maybe if he had an access to an atomic bomb, sure, it was totally doable. Or maybe even two of them. That was just a daydream, though. That wasn''t going to happen anytime soon.


    ¡°Look below us,¡± said Mylorne as he pointed towards one of the displays on the dash. It showed the scene on the ground. Jack saw the lines of cars blocking every road there was, all streaming out of the city of New York, as far away as humanly possible from the island of Manhattan. It was a mass evacuation from the look of things.


    The cars were evidently stuck in huge traffic jams and it seemed to him that they were crawling at a speed slower than a snail. Jack couldn''t see the faces of the fleeing masses, but he imagined them to be tired, scared and apprehensive.


    The scale of evacuation was massive. Jack thought it could very well be biggest in the history of mankind. Not that it was a nice record to jot down in the history books, though. State troopers, Federal and military personnel were directing the flow of the refugees but they seemed rather ineffective at lessening the density of the traffic hold-up not one bit.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Jack grimaced, hoping that those fleeing the city would find their footing soon. What a terrible way to lose almost everything, he mused. Their homes, their immediate livelihoods, their accumulated wealth ¨C all gone. Well, they still had their health and skill sets, so as long as they were willing, a new path would open up. That much Jack was sure of.


    ¡°We''ll be there soon. You should start preparing accordingly. Grab a bite to eat. There''s a rations pack in the cargo area. I don''t think you''ll get another chance to do that in peace. Oh, right. Before you do that, there is something else we need to discuss,¡± said Akkad.


    ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°Your professional Superhero name. I can''t call you by your family name in front of the others, now can I? So, what type of a heroic title would you like?¡±


    Jack''s brows twitched uncomfortably. ¡°Uh, is that important? I mean, really, I may not make it out of this situation alive, you know. Worrying about some professional Super name is just a little... Taking things a little too easy?¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t mean I should continue calling you Jack Mercer while you''re going in as a masked Super, correct? You want to protect your secret identity at all costs. Having a brand new name should help in this regard. A new name could help you to become the new persona, to complete the disguise. And yes, I am speaking from the personal experience. So, what will it be?¡±


    Jack groaned and sat down on the passenger seat. After giving it some thought, he finally opened his mouth.


    ¡°How about.... uh, The Avenger?¡±


    Mylorne Akkad cocked an eyebrow, giving him a weird look. ¡°No, Mister Mercer. Rejected. Try again.¡±


    Jack slowly scratched his chin. ¡°Okay, how about.... The Mystic Man?¡±


    Akkad shook his head. ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°The Red Baron?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°The Gil-o-Mesher?¡±


    ¡°....No, Mister Mercer. Please, do try to take this more seriously.¡±


    ¡°I am serious, though... Okay, fine. Let me think about it for a little while longer.¡±


    Jack crossed his arms and groaned loudly again. He wasn''t expecting a new source of a headache to appear so suddenly. Out of all the other pain in the neck issues, this was a considerably nicer one to have, so it was okay.


    But he was no good with this kind of stuff. He just didn''t have the right naming sense. Hell, his own Gamertag was The Proud Gamer, for crying out loud. He was absolutely hopeless, often mocked by his friends and Dana about this lack of knowing what sounded cool.


    Jack thought about coming up with a name that was somehow related to Gilgamesh and the God-King''s legendary adventures. But nothing jumped out as suitable. Nothing rolled off his tongue like honey. If he wanted to sound exotic, sure, he could use one or two names but he wasn''t. He just wanted a passable, respectable name and that was it.


    The more he thought about it, having a tough but respectable name was a must. He was going to face down several hardened soldiers and Supers pretty soon and a wimpy, childish name would only turn him into a laughing stock. Now that would not do. Not at all. No, he had to come up with a good name for sure. The pressure just increased by tenfold, unfortunately.


    And then, there was that thing about revealing the existence of Jack as the Super with the greatest potential ever to the world. He was fine with it so long as his secret identity could be maintained, but Mylorne wanted to use the occasion to unite all those participating in this battle ostensibly under one banner, under one shared goal. It was a difficult task when everyone was trying to count their benefits over their rival''s. And it''d be even more difficult if he came up with a rubbish name. So the pressure was, indeed, definitely on.


    Mylorne posited that absolute strength, whether that be an actual physical strength, financial muscle, intellectual smarts or the military might, would be enough to pull together all those unwilling to unite on their own. As a billionaire, he met all of those requirements and then some.


    Jack did feel a little pressure at the thought of standing in the limelight, though. It wasn''t due to a lack of confidence, but more to do with the fear of the unknown ¨C largely, of his own strength. Gilgamesh''s remnant will might have enhanced his specs, but Jack had no time to test his new limits. Plus, he had never stood before such a big audience before. It was only natural to feel nervous.


    ¡°We''ll begin the landing procedure in ten minutes. Please, prepare yourself.¡±


    Akkad reminded Jack who was sitting there, absentminded, buried in his turbulent thoughts. He nodded and went to grab the rations pack. There were more MREs here. He was not happy to see one, but it was what it was. He tore the packet open and wolfed down the contents as quickly as possible, and grabbed the unpainted helmet, waiting for him by the bench seat.


    The helmet was the only part of the armor that wasn''t enhanced by Gilgamesh''s remnant will and Jack wasn''t sure how big a factor that might play later on. He resolved not to get struck in the head for a foreseeable future until he could enhance items on his own. As it was, inside the Soul Sphere he could only enhance his own body and nothing else ¨C not even the clothes he was wearing at the time.


    He put the slim but sturdy helmet back on and switched on the PDA.


    Meanwhile, Mylorne Akkad contacted Newark airport''s control tower and requested for the permission to approach and land at a previously designated area.


    Jack glanced outside and saw military helicopters and jet fighters buzzing around. No civilian crafts were allowed flight anywhere near the greater New York metropolitan area.


    Soon after, the craft landed on one of the helipads. A group of military personnel as well as Peacekeeper representatives stood by, waiting.


    Mylorne Akkad put on a smart jacket and slicked back his hair, tidying his appearance. There was no need, Jack mused inwardly. Mylorne was a good looking man, after all. Oblivious to the envious stare, the Immortal nodded at Jack and said, ¡°Let us depart, and greet the destiny awaiting us head-on.¡±


    They exited via the rear hatch. They could''ve used the smaller side entrance but Mylorne Akkad wanted a grand introduction to the world of a new Superhero''s arrival, to build up an atmosphere and all that.


    It was a theatrical tactic to maximize the exposure, although Jack thought it was a waste of time. He thought that it was just an exit, nothing as grand as how Akkad was making it out to be.


    Contrary to Jack''s expectations, however, he heard a collective gasp when he emerged from the rear of the hatch after Mylorne Akkad left first. There was a surprised, nay, shocked eyes focused on him. Jack had to wonder what the hell was that all about. Now that he thought about it, McLean and his men also did a serious double take when Jack came out of the red pyramid.


    Huh, why are they looking at me like that? Is there something on the armor or the helmet?! But I checked before, and there was nothing....


    Jack frowned confusedly under the dark visor. No one could see his facial expressions, obviously.


    He checked out each of those waiting outside. Mylorne was busy talking to a stunning blonde woman dressed in a sharp business suit and a pair of frameless glasses. Jack extended his Battle Sense and surveyed everyone out here. He could immediately tell that the blonde woman wasn''t a Super, but she had received some sort of combat training.


    Everyone here, besides those in business suits, were trained in some way or the other. Would''ve been handy under the normal situations, but not right now.


    ¡°Everyone, allow me to introduce the new hero.¡±


    Mylorne Akkad smiled widely and extended his hand to Jack.


    Taking the cue, Jack nodded once and opened his mouth. The helmet had voice modulation built in which automatically altered how he sounded. The result was that he sounded like a grizzled old veteran, as if he smoked two packs of cigarettes a day and downed a bottle of gin every evening.


    ¡°Good day to you. You can call me..... Lugal.¡±


    Akkad smiled brightly when he heard that name. It was a Sumerian word for ¡°king.¡± He was of the opinion that was quite a good name.


    The blonde woman offered her hand. ¡°Mister Lugal, welcome. My name is Emma Gilberts, from the Guild of Heroes. Please, follow me. As Mister Akkad have requested, the important personnel involved with the operation have gathered in one spot. I shall take you there.¡±


    As Emma led the way, Mylorne talked to the Akkadian Corporation employees who came to see him. Jack could tell that the talk was about the necessary tech support as well as the amount of equipment on site, and how to best utilize the limited resources at hand. The mysterious halberd got a mention as well. Jack couldn''t wait to see what it looked like.


    The place used for the meeting was originally for the press conferences. The d¨¦cor seemed hastily put together, just like the meeting itself. Cheap plastic folding chairs usually warmed by the bums of tired journalists were now playing hosts to the altogether more important sets of rear ends.


    The unadorned stage played host to Mylorne Akkad. All those gathered had their focus firmly trained on him as he strode towards the plastic pulpit, carrying a high-tech tablet PC with him.


    ¡°I''d like to thank all of you for gathering at such a short notice. My name is Mylorne Akkad, the owner and chairman of the Akkadian Corporation. You know who I am, I presume, and you know what I have achieved in the past and present. So, you don''t need any further introductions, I pray.


    ¡°Today, I come to you with valuable information regarding what we are about to face. For the survival of the mankind. For our future, I implore you to keep an open mind and heed my advice to the fullest.¡±


    Jack was not on the stage but to the side, waiting. He was kind of hoping that he wasn''t needed to say something in front of these important people. He counted several high-ranking military officials, New York''s commissioner of police, the district attorneys for the five boroughs, the city mayor as well as the state governor who were, luckily, not at their respective offices due to today being a Sunday. The Director of FBI and his deputies, specifically flown in from Washington to get a handle on the situation were sitting near the center, surrounded by several stiff-faced Special Agents. CIA and NSA both had sent people here too, although their immediate ranks wouldn''t be known to outsiders.


    The dozens of military men and women here, all stiff and hardened and alert, wore uniforms that were markedly different from each other, denoting the individual branches of armed forces they came from.


    That was all the government bureaucrats present. And it was a lot of people, Jack mused inwardly.


    As for the others, there were GoH members here, as well as several scientific organizations and a few Supers representing their own collectives. Emma Gilbert was naturally here as well, her job to stand in for the mysterious Guild President who was absent from this meeting.


    All the faces here were glum and serious. Jack thought this place was worse than a funeral. He then noticed Vanguard sitting at the back, whose grimace was deep enough to show on the luchador mask he was wearing. The burly Super''s frown was so deep that it was probably enough to sink an entire aircraft carrier.


    ¡°I''ll try to be brief. That mysterious metallic spike is actually called the Tree of the End,¡± said Mylorne Akkad, as he manipulated his tablet to project a 3D hologram in the air. It showed a stone tablet. ¡°I have, in my possession, several artifacts, many of them are well over six, seven thousand years old, some of them even farther into the lost history than that.


    ¡°These artifacts warn us of six Trees of World. And one of them happens to fit the description of what has taken root in Manhattan.¡±


    The hologram projection zoomed into a section of the stone tablet and another image was superimposed on it. It was a close-up of a single cuneiform that shaped like a metal spike with lines around its middle.


    ¡°This is the ancient Sumerian cuneiform representing the so-called Divine Trees.¡±


    There was a soft murmur from those present. From the looks on their faces they had questions but for now, they''d have to wait until the end of Mylorne''s speech.


    ¡°What the Tree itself can do is very dangerous, no doubt, but the more urgent issue we need to deal with is its Guardian Beast, a monster called Humbaba.¡±


    The hologram changed to show an ancient mural Jack had seen yesterday in Mylorne Akkad''s tower. A huge, towering monster, with long arms and a bovine head.


    ¡°If we were to stop the Tree''s operations, we need to get past this monster first. According to my calculations, Humbaba should only have awakened not too long ago. But unfortunately, it will still possess an incredible power. Lugal here will, with the assistance of the military and GoH members, subdue the beast and proceed to disable the Tree''s functions.¡±


    One of the military men, who was silently chomping on a cigar narrowed his eyes. ¡°Okay, before we jump around all flustered, tell me this first, Mister Akkad. What the hell is this Tree of the End? Why should we be wary of its supposed dangers? And what is this Humbaba?


    ¡°Most importantly, how do you know all this, Mister Akkad? How were you able to obtain this information?¡±


    Mylorne smiled enigmatically. ¡°Well, General Williams, I have more than enough avenues of collecting important information. This is the result of one such avenue.


    ¡°The six Divine Trees are a gateway for the ancient extraterrestrial species to exert considerable influence on the mankind. These beings have called themselves the Anunnaki, the gods of the ancient Mesopotamia and Sumeria. Of course, they were not a group of nice, friendly guys all wishing for peace and unity. We as humans are nothing more than a plaything for them.


    ¡°Well over five thousand years ago, there was a global event that caused much upheaval, called the Third Great Calamity. The connections the Anunnaki had with this planet ceased after that event. And the six Trees vanished without a trace.


    ¡°The six Trees each control a certain aspect of this planet. For instance, the Tree of the End has dominion over every metallic object. It does not matter how high or low the level of metal is either ¨C as evidenced by the mass killing of humans and animals within the island of Manhattan.


    ¡°That alone should be a cause to destroy the Tree. But as you might have guessed by now, toppling a structure of such dimensions without causing considerable damage to the surrounding areas is scientifically not possible. All we can to is to stop its operations, and stop it from trying to connect to the Anunnaki once more, which is a far more pressing goal.¡±


    The hologram changed one more time, now showing a video clip of the metal vines wrapping around a bridge over the Hudson River, consuming it but failing to cross the body of the water for some reason.


    Mylorne continued with little more urgency in his voice.


    ¡°All of you have been tracking a suspect involved in the JFK massacre, a man named Nico Gavalas, a Greek national. But he isn''t the mastermind. The truth is that Gavalas is nothing more than a vassal of the real threat, an ancient Super named En-men-lu-ana. He used to go by the nickname of The Mad King. And one of his powers was to turn people into grains of sand. Sounds familiar, yes?


    ¡°En-men-lu-ana, allegedly, was favored by the Anunnaki. He was a loyal lap-dog of the ancient beings, so to speak. I believe the reason why he came to Manhattan was to raise the Tree of the End. If he''s not stopped here, today, then I''m afraid Nico Gavalas and En-men-lu-ana would go around the world reviving the rest of the Trees, thereby completing the connections to the Anunnaki and setting up their return to our planet.¡±


    ¡°An ancient Super? How the hell did he live until now?¡±


    The FBI director voiced his skepticism aloud.


    ¡°He didn''t. He''s as dead as you can get. But one of the powers granted by the Anunnaki was to leave behind an imprint of will in an item, a golden ceremonial skull. If a person meeting certain criteria touches this skull, the imprint will brainwash the individual to carry out the bidding of En-men-lu-ana.¡±


    Jack cocked an eyebrow at this explanation. He hadn''t heard of this before. Previously, Mylorne Akkad said that En-men-lu-ana was an Immortal like him, that he couldn''t be killed, like, at all. Even if it was a fragment of a fingernail, as long as there was a genetic material available, he could revive given enough time.


    Clearly, what Mylorne Akkad was saying up on the pulpit was bull. Jack wondered why he saw the need to deceive those he planned to work with, but the answer would have to wait for later.


    Meanwhile, Mylorne continued with his narration that was more like the timely exposition to advance the plot forward.


    ¡°That isn''t the salient issue. Please, take a look at this.¡±


    The hologram now showed a diagram of the Tree of the End, like one of those X-ray shots. A network of blood vessel-like webbing appeared within the Tree''s interior, all gathering towards the bottom where a large open space seemed to exist.


    ¡°The Tree of the End is made up of amalgamation of metallic elements. It can''t interact with any other matters, such as water or fire. That''s why it can''t cross the rivers.


    ¡°And now that the Tree had reached its peak, it no longer needs more building materials. It should be relatively safe to send in personnel to the island.


    ¡°The most effective way to stop the Tree''s functions would be to set fire to the hidden nucleus accessible through this passage, shown here with a temperature higher than 2200 Fahrenheit, higher than that of a napalm bomb.¡±


    Mylorne Akkad pointed at the base of the Tree where the dozens upon dozens of thick root-like vines emerged. There seemed to be a tunnel leading into the heart of the metallic tree, at least according to the 3D projection.


    ¡°Unfortunately, there aren''t any small explosives capable of causing a high temperature akin to that of a napalm. The best we''ve got at hand is CL-20. But that compound is too unstable for a mission like this. So I recommend we use whatever HMX you can gather.


    ¡°It should cause enough concussive damage to the nucleus and thereby disable the Tree''s functions for good. I''m sure the U.S Military and GoH can provide enough HMX to destroy an object estimated to be about 10 to 12 feet tall and 5 feet in width, most likely shaped like a plant seed.¡±


    Everyone present murmured quietly to each other. General Williams was chatting to other military officials in a hushed tone, while Emma Gilberts was on the phone with someone, probably to the Guild President. The representatives of various agencies were also busy yapping away on their own communication devices.


    ¡°I shall forward all the data I possess to the parties involved in this operation, of course. You will be able to dissect the information to your heart''s content and give me your favorable answer as soon as possible, before the Guardian Beast Humbaba regains more of its former strength.¡±


    With that, the 3D hologram ended and Mylorne Akkad began preparing to send the copies of the files with his tablet.


    But before that, there were other questions that needed to be answered.


    ¡°Why do you take a proactive role in this venture? What''s in it for you, Mister Akkad?¡±


    It was, of course, General Williams who said that.


    Mylorne Akkad gazed at the career military man and smiled genially.


    ¡°As I said before, there are six such trees, spread throughout this planet. Each one is in control of a different attribute, air, water, fire, so on and so forth. When all six of them sprout, then the Anunnaki will be able to command every facet of this very planet. In other words, in complete control of all living beings on the face of this earth.


    ¡°And we have a brainwashed Super acting to resurrect these trees. Obviously, Nico Gavalas would have the means to control them, not to mention where to find the other five Trees.


    ¡°Would you rather choose to let the Anunnaki control the humanity by sitting on the knowledge I''ve provided, or will you actively seek to curtail the enemy of humanity from gaining sovereignty over mankind? I believe the choice is a simple matter.


    ¡°My benefit is thus ¨C I get to stave off the incoming disaster and at the same time, collect valuable data with Mister Lugal here. To me, scientific data is far more precious than any short-term monetary gains there might be, quite unlike the certain sections of our society.¡±


    Akkad, his face full of enigmatic smile, pressed the ¡°send¡± button on his tablet and soon after, the files were in the hands ¨C or the computers ¨C of those involved. Now, it was about waiting for their answers.


    Jack felt slightly stifled so he stepped out of the conference room for a moment. He wanted to take off the helmet but couldn''t, as there were too many eyes watching him. Literally, every Super and regular people present was scoping him out. Their gazes weren''t explicitly hostile but rather, quite wary.


    Jack mused to himself that he indeed was in a funny spot as far as being a Superhero was concerned. He wasn''t registered as a law-upholding hero with the GoH, nor was he recognized as one by the public. He was being ¡°funded¡± by a secretive tech billionaire. Plus, he was wearing a black armor tinged in red. It was intimidating to look at him. And he had a pretty good physique on top of that, thanks to the red soul enhancement.


    Jack decided to ignore the stares. As long as he gained the necessary strength to achieve his goals and survive the night, then it was all good. His thoughts were focused solely on disabling the gigantic black metal Tree in the distant horizon, on the future after toppling it, on the two Supers he''d go after soon enough, and most importantly, on himself.


    He closed his eyes, thinking that he might as well use the down time to train his Battle Sense. He also wanted to extract red souls and enhance the helmet as well. If successful, then he''d do the same with the halberd later on.


    Jack''s Battle Sense slowly reached inside and found the Soul Sphere, rapidly rotating near his heart. He was about to reach in and extract a wisp of the red soul when a voice interrupted him from behind.


    ¡°Hey, Lugal, right? Got a minute to talk?¡±


    Jack slightly turned his head to see Vanguard standing there, emitting a dangerous aura. It looked like he was barely containing his fury. His muscles seemed to ripple underneath the skinny jacket he was wearing.


    Jack frowned slightly, wondering why this masked Superhero was all worked up for. Hopefully, not at him.


    ¡°May I help you?¡±


    Jack asked solemnly. Since he didn''t know whether the target of Vanguard''s anger was him or not, it seemed like a safe bet to be vigilant and respectful for now.


    ¡°Maybe. I want to be on your team. Take me with you when you go to Manhattan.¡±


    Jack nearly tilted his head in confusion. Somehow, he resisted the natural reaction and took a second or two to digest this sudden request.


    ¡°I beg your pardon? Please explain yourself, Mister Vanguard. What do you mean, you want to be on my team?¡±


    Vanguard stepped forward and stood before Jack, AKA Lugal. Surprisingly, Jack wasn''t much shorter than the hulking Super.


    ¡°GoH won''t let me go over there. But my friend.... my friend Blast Storm is somewhere in that goddamned place and I need to find him ASAP. Please, put me on your team. I am willing to quit GoH if you let me in.¡±


    Jack felt a fresh new bout of a migraine rushing in.


    He understood the source of Vanguard''s fury, his desire to locate his friend but the Guild grounding him for reasons Jack didn''t know or care.


    Jack studied Vanguard for a second. It''d be good to have someone as experienced and strong like Vanguard backing him up. But this decision wasn''t his to make. Mylorne Akkad was the leader of this enterprise and Jack was simply borrowing some stuff from the guy, that was all.


    ¡°Why me? You could ask the military. They would welcome a Super''s help, especially if it''s someone as famous as you are.¡±


    ¡°I asked already. They refused, saying they already have a unit ready to go. A bunch of wet-nosed teenagers and that''s their goddamn unit!!¡±


    Teenagers? Could they be from the Project Dead Kings? Huh. So, uh, are they reacting to my presence as well, in the way Cleo, Erik and Lei did? I wonder. Do I need to step carefully around them now?


    ¡­.Wonder what those three are doing right now. Were they caught after coming here? Or have they got away with Cleo''s family? With the chaos of the mass evacuation, they are probably fine.


    Jack slowly shook his head. ¡°It doesn''t matter whether you tag along or not. But I do not want to get on the bad side of GoH ¨C so, please reconsider. If your mind''s made up, then you should ask Mister Akkad instead.¡±


    Vanguard clenched his fist. But he didn''t say anything. His angry eyes said enough. He nodded quickly and turned around.


    Jack watched the back of the retired Super walk away, feeling somewhat conflicted.


    A friend, huh. I wonder how''s Nick doing right now.


    Oh right. I gotta call home. My family should be waiting for me.


    Jack sighed softly. He glanced around to see if there was a working telephone somewhere, but at this day and age, finding a payphone was going to be an issue. And since the military had taken over the airport, all the stores and kiosks not related to the operation had closed shut their doors, their workforce sent home. Gaining access seemed impossible without breaking a few laws. Asking for a smartphone from a passing soldier didn''t seem like it would work either, unless he wanted to expose his identity.


    What then?


    Hmm. Does this suit has a phone or internet connectivity?


    Jack glanced at the PDA''s screen. Indeed, there seemed to be some sort of wifi and Bluetooth connectivity but in the menu, they were grayed out as if the functions weren''t available on this particular version of the software.


    Looks like I have to ask Mylorne, huh. Why didn''t I ask for this earlier?! Man, I need to focus and get a grip here....


    Jack wryly shook his head and headed back into the conference room.


    (Whew, it''s finally done!! I had to completely re-write this chapter three times. Man, that took a long, long time. Way longer than I''d like to. But it''s here, and now I can move on to the next chapter.)


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!! Well, it doesn''t have to be a lot..... even a single buck would be fine, you know.)

 Red Souls Chapter 24: The First Proelium

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 24: The First Proelium</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    The impressive flying squadron consisting 24 helicopter gunships were approaching the deathly silent island of Manhattan under the cover of darkness. A pale half-moon illuminated the night and a spattering of clouds cast moving puppets of shadow on the Hudson''s still, mirror-like surface. The time was well past midnight, past the hour when the witches and demons of lore would break free from their chains, seeking sacrificial souls to seduce and devour.


    The rhythmic pulsing of the rotors spinning in perfect sync was like an insistent heartbeat, building up the tension of the soldiers and Supers riding on the helicopters, keeping up their adrenaline levels at high.


    Often, an intermittent and garbled chatter on the radio waves broke up the silence but that was pretty much it. Not one person riding on the helicopters spoke, nor did they make any unnecessary noise. The atmosphere was tense, the tension taut enough to cut with a knife.


    Jack ¡°Lugal¡± Mercer was riding on one of those helicopters. He read the mood well enough and said nothing to disrupt the flow. Only that, he extended Battle Sense every now and then to train this vital ability, as well as to learn more about the other passengers alongside him, sharing this noisy flying tin can.


    He didn''t need the supernatural sensing ability of Battle Sense to notice their eyes, though. The eyes that were darting around non-stop, gazing outside and sweeping over the dark horizon towards the island, fleeting and frowning. What those eyes were taking in would remain unknown to him other than their owners as more than a fair share were unfocused and drowning in their own dilemma.


    Jack also felt a certain amount of distrust among all the participants in this raid. Was it because of the composition of the group? Or was it directed at the unwelcome outsiders, mainly him?


    The 15 of the helicopters were the latest versions of Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. Each craft was capable of carrying up to eleven passengers. 6 of them, Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbows, were there to provide fire support. And the final 3 were Boeing MH-47G Chinooks, capable of carrying up to 55 combatants at a push. Although, for this operation, there were only twenty riding onboard on each of the Chinooks, except on Jack''s ride, where it was filled to the brim with dangerous-looking men and women.


    Inside this very cramped helicopter were the members of Special Operations Forces comprised of Army Rangers, Delta Force, Navy SEALs and U.S. Marine Corps boys and girls. Jack couldn''t tell who was who, though, at least not by their uniforms.


    Among these hardened soldiers, several ¡°operators¡± from unnamed agencies. As for the civilians and non-military outfits, the GoH members consisting of the Peacekeepers and Supers, and FBI''s famed Special Weapons and Tactics Team riding on other Chinooks.


    Of course, Vanguard was riding along next to Jack, apparently getting the okay from Mylorne Akkad. Jack found it slightly puzzling that the burly retired Superhero got the go ahead but having more help was always better, so he accepted this arrangement without reservations.


    Out of those wandering eyeballs, there were a few that were burning the figurative hole on the side of Jack''s helmet. And they were from the operatives of the Project Dead Kings.


    How could he tell? Well, besides the fact that they stealthily threw silent but suspicious glances specifically at his way, one of them even coming up to him to engage in a bizarre talk-down of sorts before the operation commenced. Apparently, all of the operatives from the Project Dead Kings, or at least those with Gilgamesh''s genes somewhere in their blood, were feeling the same.... resonance as Erik, Cleo and Lei had felt. The guy who tried to make Jack do something named himself as Sergeant Stewart Baxter, fashioning himself as the de facto leader of the operators dispatched by the Department of Defense''s Special Command.


    That talk went as well as one would expect. And it was one of those rare times where Jack thought it was A Good Thing his face was hidden by the darkened visor, or otherwise he''d have some serious trouble down the line, judging by the personality of this Baxter fellow. He seemed like one of those guys that didn''t like defeats and would pursue whatever to the ends of the earth. A fun guy to be around, basically.


    Anyways, that was a way before the take-off, back at the airport. Right now, Stewart and his pals were keeping their questions and aggro to themselves which was just fine by Jack. But in the long run, he acutely felt the need to find a way to mask whatever his body was emitting so these troublesome guys wouldn''t be able to track him down after all was said and done.


    It was a pain in the neck for sure, but he was helpless to do anything about it, at least temporarily. As soon as his powers were comparable to that of original Gilgamesh, he had this hunch everything would work out towards his favor.


    So, for now, Jack did his best to ignore the stares and instead choose to study them in detail. Battle Sense came in real handy in situations like these, he mused inwardly.


    He hadn''t made any headway in extracting red souls from the Soul Sphere but he was slowly becoming proficient at taking a peek using his Battle Sense which kind of felt wrong, maybe even dirty, to him in a way that was oddly similar to the invasion of privacy. Basically, he was taking a look at the people around him and figuring out roughly what they can do. He wondered whether this was how Taylor felt whenever she used her powers. He could tell, more or less, if a person was strong or not. He could also tell what they were about to do, which was kind of freaky in itself as well. It was not a psychic ability, more like a predictive one where he could calculate within a reasonable accuracy by observing the way the muscles contract and expand.


    Besides Jack and Vanguard, Stewart Baxter was also a Super, which was kinda obvious seeing that he was from the Project Dead Kings. His squad entirely consisted of Supers as well, which was again obvious thing, too. There were nine of the Big Brother-sponsored Supers in total, including Stewart, on this helicopter alone. The rest of the Project Dead Kings operatives were split evenly and rode on other helicopters.


    Jack checked out the other two closest to him, a Latino girl in her late teens and a white kid, also in his teens. Jack didn''t quite catch their names. They looked young but hardened. Their facial expressions seemed frozen due to all the hardcore stuff they had seen or some such like that. They must''ve been a riot in a dinner party, Jack thought wryly to himself. No wonder Erik and Co wanted to escape from the Project. The rest also were teens, just as Vanguard had mentioned, something that could be explained by the timing of their augmentation. It''d be done roughly around the same period. But other Dead Kings operatives were slightly older, so Jack had to assume they were.... older batches, for a lack of better description.


    ¡°Arriving at the Point B. Look sharp. Team Beverley, separating.¡±


    The original 24 helicopters split into two at the Point A just above Jersey City, 8 of them forming the Team Amber, heading up further North towards the City College in Upper Manhattan.


    At the Point B near the famed Statue of Liberty, the remaining 16 divided into two, Jack''s group continuing on til Times Square. The final group, Team Beverley, would descend near the iconic Charging Bull statue at lower Manhattan ¨C the famed Wall Street.


    Each of the groups was assigned different missions. Team Amber and Beverley''s primary mission was to find any survivors and perform reconnaissance & rescue operations, while Jack''s was to basically eliminate Nico Gavalas and the Guardian Beast Humbaba. And of course, stop the Tree of the End from establishing a contact with the Anunnaki. Easier said than done, and thus the best equipped and supported out of the three groups in terms of firepower and the number of hot-blooded soldiers.


    Speaking of firepower, Jack was quite conscious of himself, mixed among the grim-faced soldiers. Why? The giant halberd was taking up a considerable amount of space within the relatively cramped confines of the Chinook, that''s why.


    The imposing weapon was unpainted, just like the Kevlar survival suit, and taller than he was by at least a foot. The circumference was as thick as a person''s wrist, and the ax-head at the top was shaped in simple yet threatening fashion. The tip was sharpened to a point for the thrusting attacks as well. The whole thing was quite heavy and if it weren''t for Jack''s enhanced strength, there was no way in hell a normal person would be able to wield it let alone lift it off the ground.


    Made out of a special alloy consisting of titanium and some other fancy metal Jack haven''t even heard of, apparently this halberd was sturdy enough to easily withstand a several dozen tons of impact. Jack would be very happy if that figure was not an exaggeration as pretty soon, he''d get to actually experience it. His life may depend on the thing delivering as promised.


    Anyways, it was a long-ass weapon, for sure. And it couldn''t be bent in half or otherwise stored in some miraculous storage dimension made popular by countless web novels. This was the reality, after all. Or, at least, he hadn''t heard of such a power yet. The world was truly vast so who knows what other crazy and unbelievable things were out there.


    A magnetic coupling system at the back of the suit was used to securely attach the halberd there, but it also meant that Jack had to remain standing because of that. Everyone else was sitting on the bench so with him standing there, Jack kinda couldn''t help but feel like that unlucky bus passenger unable to grab an open seat while everyone else stole it right under his nose. Even then, innards of a Chinook was not what you''d call substantially spacious.


    By virtue of standing in the middle, everyone''s sights often landed on him. Really, he never thanked the blacked-out visor this much before until now. He was already deep in the pool of embarrassment what with sticking out like a sore thumb, robbing everyone of the valuable space in the helicopter. If someone complained loudly about it, he''d rather jump out into the cold water below.


    Unbeknownst him, though, there was a reason why no one raised an issue with Jack and his unwieldy giant halberd. There was this subtle yet dangerous, oppressive aura oozing off of him, that was why. Even the ¡°normal¡± non-Supers could feel it on their skin. It was pretty effective in shutting them up.


    If he knew the existence of this aura.... he''d die even faster of a bigger embarrassment. He didn''t intend on being an intimidating, no good S.O.B., after all. He was not a thug and didn''t want to be branded as one, either.


    ¡°We''re now above the island,¡± shouted the pilot as he looked down at the ground. Many others took a long gaze down through the window, affected by the morbid curiosity of those still suffering on the surface.


    Jack also glanced outside and grimaced at the sight. Even though it was nighttime, even though there was no electricity ¨C the island was lit in colorful yet somber hues from the floating motes of lights. One of the soldiers commented that they resembled the Will o'' the Wisps. Jack personally thought they were closer to the floating souls sans the red color. Whatever they were, the fog of heavy eeriness coming off them covered the dead city.


    The soldiers saw the devastated landscape. All of the tall skyscrapers had all collapsed. Smaller buildings too suffered and not much remained of the glorious structures that celebrated the varied and colorful history of the city. The concrete ground was gouged out, broken, pockmarked. Remaining walls crumbled at the slightest hint of a breeze and burst main pipes exposed to the air, the water occasionally sputtering out.


    Everywhere the occupants of the helicopters looked, they could only see the unprecedented scale of destruction and chaos. Also, unnervingly, they couldn''t spot a single dead body but they were up fairly high in the air. For all they know, the shredded and rotting corpses could be lining up the destroyed streets below.


    Seeing the desolate and ruined cityscape below, Jack regretted not getting to speak to his family for one last time. Yes, he found Mylorne Akkad just fine, but unlocking the call functions on the PDA was not possible because the billionaire didn''t have the right software with him. No one from the Akkadian Corporation present at Newark did, since the suit was still in development and not all of its specs were finalized. Making the updates to the OS wasn''t a priority, after all.


    That wasn''t a good result but he got to borrow Akkad''s own mobile device so he believed it all worked fine. The issue was with no one answering when he tried to call his family''s numbers. Not even his grandparents picked the phone up this time.


    That worried him even more greatly. Why would they not answer now, knowing that he''d call them again sooner rather than later? Something bad was going on but he was on the other side of the continent and there was not a single damn thing he could do.


    Out of desperation, Jack almost called Taylor but stopped, not entirely sure if she should be involved with the shenanigans of his family, not knowing that she was already somewhat involved with the matter.


    Jack was about to risk it and fly back home, but the top brass decided to greenlight the mission before he could arrange the trip. Meaning, he was too late. It was unusual, the speed at which the decision was made. And even more suspiciously, the preparations by the various branches of the military were done in a blink of an eye, as if they were already planning to enter the island way before Mylorne suggested the idea.


    The operation was a go and Jack ¡°Lugal¡± Mercer''s participation could not be withdrawn. So, trusting Mylorne''s promise that he''d investigate his family''s mysterious unwillingness to answer their phones, Jack boarded the Chinook and there he was, flying into the island of Manhattan. The sheer, gut-wrenching level of devastation on the ground made him regret this decision, He should''ve made sure to talk to his family before coming here. The amalgamated feelings of foreboding and encroaching fear were hard to keep under control if it weren''t for the increased level of adrenaline.


    Before long, they arrived at Times Square. The Black Hawks hovered in the air and the Special Operations Forces soldiers poured out, repelling down the ropes and spreading around the moment their feet touched the solid ground. The Apaches provided the cover, maintaining vigilance. Once the immediate area was secure, the Chinook descended, allowing the occupants to jump out and join the others.


    ¡°Okay, here we go.¡±


    Vanguard took a deep breath and jumped out of the helicopter right behind the rest of the soldiers. Jack followed soon after, feeling nothing on his feet as the boots of the survival suit landed on the uneven ground. He emulated the other soldiers and quickly moved away from the helicopter, reaching behind him for the massive halberd.


    The Chinook stayed above the ground at a couple of feet, its rotors continuously spinning, and as soon as it emptied its human cargo, quickly rose back up to the sky. The Black Hawks and Apaches possessed powerful weapons but Chinooks did not and thus would become a sitting duck in case of a battle. It made sense to leave the area as soon as possible.


    The Black Hawks and Apaches left as well, leaving behind several dozens of men, equipped with high-caliber rifles. The leaders of the each platoon did a quick head count and split into their designated spots. All of these were done in less than ten seconds and Jack had to admire their professionalism and efficiency.


    The odd men out were Jack and Vanguard who didn''t belong to any one faction. Smiling wryly, Vanguard glanced at his partner for this adventure and shook his head slightly.


    ¡°So, Lugal, feeling nervous?¡±


    Jack cringed pretty hard at the mention of that name. He had no idea why he chose that particular word. Could it be the personality of Gilgamesh showing up or something? Was it taking over Jack''s own persona? Whatever the case may be, Jack thought it was a quite shameless name. A thoughtless moment later, the name stuck. Now he had to live with it.


    Jack sighed but the sound didn''t escape the helmet. He just shook his head. ¡°I''m fine. What about you?¡±


    Vanguard loosened his shoulders and stretched his arms, his eyes taking in the surroundings. There was the unmistakable heaviness in his voice, though, showing how angry and sad he was. ¡°This place.... it will never recover after this. I was there at the World Trade Center when they fell. But this... this is worse. Way worse.¡±


    Vanguard''s voice choked up towards the end. Jack silently nodded and didn''t say anything.


    ¡°Okay, no more chit chat. Let''s move!!¡±


    The Captain leading the company of troops barked out the order through the radio. There was a lot of interference so the long-range communication was impossible, but within the close proximity, it wasn''t so bad. At least the soldiers could hear one another. The company was made up of three platoons, and one of them was made up exclusively of the Project Dead Kings operators, plus Lugal and Vanguard in tow. They took point as the Latino girl who had been next to Jack during the helicopter ride had some type of a scouting ability. Jack again wondered whether it was similar to Taylor''s powers, but after a short observation, decided it was inferior.


    Leading this particular platoon was Stewart Baxter. He glanced at his charges, his stares lingering a while longer on Lugal''s dark and mysterious, oppressive figure before moving on. In all honesty, he wasn''t satisfied with this arrangement. He understood that the purpose of his existence was for assignments like this, but still.


    He couldn''t help but let his mind lose focus, thinking about just what it was with Lugal that made him sense this strange feeling. The other G Children from the Project all professed to having the same sensation as he did before, so it wasn''t just him going crazy. It was just that, he hadn''t felt it so strongly until now.


    Is this what Erik, Cleo and Lei felt a month ago? Is Lugal the reason why they left the unit? So, do they know who this Lugal is under that helmet?


    Stewart chewed on this possibility. He reported this matter to the higher ups who were already well aware of the anomaly, so with this new info, they might be able to figure out what was going on with him and the rest of the squad. It was his responsibility to properly command his men and he''d be damned if he failed in this regard.


    He was originally tasked with leading the G Squad, made up with the 12 G Children. But now that Erik, Cleo and Lei had deserted, the brass chose to combine the remaining members from other squads and thus forming a single sizable platoon of augmented Supers.


    Stewart''s role was diminished a great deal because of this. And now, he had to share the same air as the one who caused this rescission of his prestigious position. Of course he was not satisfied. But it was an order from the above, so he had to abide by it.... for now.


    Unaware of the unfriendly gazes towards him, Jack gripped the halberd tight and looked up at the Tree of the End, rising from beyond the destroyed and crumbling ruins of the once magnificent city. It looked a lot taller up close. What was the technology used to raise such an incredible structure? Was it magic? Jack silently mulled these questions.


    The Anunnaki created this thing. So that meant they possessed a much higher level of technology than humanity. Could he be able to fight against them if it came to that? Jack felt less confident now, looking up at the huge monolithic object. He sure understood what ants must''ve felt looking up at passing humans.


    The rolling black clouds rumbled around the Tree, purple lightning coiling within, threatening to strike down all those daring to harbor any thoughts of rebellion.


    The motes of lights were bigger nearer the Tree, swirling and dancing slowly around like planktons in deep seawater. Maybe they were pyreflies from one of the video games he saw someone playing a long time ago. Now that he was actually on the ground, these motes seemed rather melancholic and sad rather than eerie. He could be the only one feeling this way, though.


    Jack dismissed these thoughts from his head. He was now on the enemy territory. A single stray thought, one second of distraction, and he would die a dog''s death here. His heart thumped loudly in the dreadful anticipation as the platoon rushed forward, towards the base of the Tree of the End.


    All of the buildings were destroyed but the group couldn''t simply run on top of the rubble as they had no clue what laid beneath and couldn''t risk traversing on an unstable foundation. Almost all the high-rises in Manhattan had underground parking lots and they could collapse further if the soldiers tread on top, causing massive casualties if so.


    Going around or clearing out these obstructions took time, affording Jack a breather to review the plan in his head.


    One, infiltrate the island from three different locations and search for any survivors. When found, evacuate to the previously designated rendezvous points and wait for the exfil. If none are found, then head to the Tree''s base where the core is supposedly found.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Two, if the Super suspected of causing the massive destruction, Nico Gavalas. is sighted, execute him with extreme prejudice if a due process can not be carried out.


    Three, laser paint the Guardian Beast Humbaba for a surgical strike with a guided missile fired from a passing bomber that would be launched off an aircraft carrier anchored in the Atlantic Ocean. Jack had no idea how powerful the resulting explosion could be, but he hoped it should be more than enough to do the job.


    And four, install a batch of HMX explosives on the core of the Tree and destroy it.


    Simple enough, Jack supposed.


    There were finer points to the plan but Jack''s job was not about worrying over those. He was here to fight Humbaba and distract it long enough so the U.S. Army could bombard it to kingdom come. That was it.


    Initially, there was some concern regarding traveling in the air to enter the island, but seeing that the bridges were all out of commission and the tunnels were flooded after the metal vines did a number on them, infiltration via a squadron of helicopters were deemed to be the only way in. The only other alternative was to go in via water, but that would have, comparatively speaking, take too long. There was a justified reason why the aerial route was seen as the last resort.


    After the initial appearance of the Tree, every moving object was attacked, and this included all those flying in the air. A countless number of civilian helicopters and airplanes inexplicably lost all electronics and fell from the sky, becoming fodder for the violently rampaging metal vines on the ground. The reasons for this phenomenon was not explained other than some weak conjectures. So yes, the concern for the safety of the combatants was not misplaced.


    Thankfully, nothing happened. The vines had retreated to near the Tree and stopped attacking anything moving indiscriminately.


    But that didn''t lessen the painful reality of the scale of destruction wrought by those damnable things. Everywhere Jack looked, there was this hopeless sense of absolute desolation. While his time on the island was less than ten minutes, Jack couldn''t even see a single insect. Not even one or two scurrying rats, or those famous oversized New York cockroaches. He once heard that those vermin could survive even the nuclear holocaust but here, that assertion seemed false to the extreme.


    Vanguard also studied the barren landscape with a grim expression. He came here to find his friend but seeing the level of destruction, he had to concede that it was quite unlikely Blast Storm had survived this calamity. That thought was royally pissing him off. He couldn''t wait to get his hands around Nico Gavalas''s neck.


    There was a lot of dust blowing around in the howling winds, making it a chore to breathe. On top of that, the winds sang a sorrowful, ghostly wail at the soldiers, making some of them shiver as they continued the silent marching forward, their rifles resolutely pointing forward.


    Occasionally, an entrance to the underground subway line was found where the bare concrete was exposed, but judging by the way how they were all caved in, it seemed like rescuing anyone potentially trapped inside would be impossible ¨C that was, if they managed to somehow survive underground.


    More and more soldiers realized there was no one alive, no survivors to speak of. The faces darkened, hints of anger rising behind their eyes.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    The Latino girl who was taking the point murmured in confusion just as the Central Park became visible in the front. Jack wasn''t sure what she was referring to, and so he strained his senses to the max. Then he heard a sound, a distinct pulse.


    The source was the Tree of the End. It was emitting a bizarre, low-frequency hum at a fixed rate. It was something that couldn''t be heard by normal means but instead, felt through one''s body. The ground was trembling every time the pulse rang out, becoming noticeable as the soldiers got nearer and nearer to the target.


    The Latino girl frowned and closed her eyes for a second before hurriedly opening her eyes. ¡°We have company.¡±


    As soon as the words left her mouth, all of the soldiers became extra vigilant. They were already pointing their powerful automatic rifles forward but now, their aims have become far steadier, far more focused on a single point.


    Jack narrowed his eyes and used the PDA to access the zoom function on the visor. In the distance, he could barely see movements. He extended his Battle Sense as much as possible and it began to spit out alarm bells like crazy, telling him to be on guard.


    ¡°Eyes in front,¡± said the Latino girl. ¡°Eleven o''clock. The distance, one hundred fifty meters and a change.¡±


    The normal, non-Super soldiers quickly utilized the scopes on the rifles to check out the spotted movement way out in front. The light from the floating motes helped but the rising dust kicked up by the winds made it difficult to make out properly what it was they were supposed to see.


    One of the Dead Project Kings operators breathed out heavily as he first spotted what it could be. He possessed a powerful eyesight that could discern even the most smallest movement.


    ¡°Holy sh*t, is that a survivor?!¡±


    At those shocked words, all attentions were placed towards the blurry figure in the distance. The views through the scopes yielded a figure of a humanoid weakly stumbling towards the soldiers'' position.


    Soon, more and more soldiers could spot this figure, prompting the Captain to give the word. The squad from a platoon broke off and began to quickly rush in, planning to secure the target if it turned out to be a survivor.


    However, Jack wasn''t so sure about this. Besides his Battle Sense telling him to be careful, something about the way the figure moved felt off to him.


    The Special Operations Forces soldiers weren''t a bunch of dummies, though. They knew the score and kept a tight formation while swiftly covering the distance. They were moving at a decent gallop but not once did they lower their guard. But even then, they were not prepared for this.


    Quickly the squad gap closed and the stumbling figure was in sight. Indeed, it was a person. But.... it was unlike any other person they have seen in their lives before. The soldiers, once full of well-deserved confidence, stopped dead in their treks when it became painfully clear what they were facing was not really a human.


    ¡°What the hell is this?!¡±


    One of the Special Operations Forces soldiers muttered out in shock.


    The humanoid figure emerging from the haze of the blowing dust was indeed shaped like a person. Yet it was made up of a bizarre, unknown dark brown metal. It had a face, a mouth and a pair of lips, a nose, a soulless pair of eyes, even hair that seemed to flutter in the dusty winds. Flaps of the unzipped windbreaker this thing wore, also made of metal, danced ever so slightly in the air.


    Anyone who played games would instantly recognize this thing as it could only be the fabled golem. A metal golem magically created by, most likely, the Tree of the End as its foot soldier. A pawn to deal with those pesky insects trying to disturb its important work, no doubt.


    Even more disturbingly, the golem was shaped like a regular New Yorker, just taking a casual stroll out on the warm Sunday evening, maybe to catch the latest showing of a stage musical off Broadway, maybe out to walk the dog or to go buy an Espresso around the block.


    ¡°Christ, Mary and Joseph. That is..... Son of a bi*ch.¡±


    One of the soldiers muttered under his breath. The golem heard him, and it stopped its jerky, awkward movement. It unnaturally tilted its head, the vacant and unseeing eyes turning towards the soldiers. Its mouth laboriously opened and from within that inky darkness, a keening metallic screech exploded out. The dusty haze seemed to quiver, and suddenly, many more silhouettes of humanoid figures emerged one after the other.


    Before anyone could react, the golems poured out from the fog. Belatedly, the squad of soldiers started firing, but by then, their fate was already sealed.


    A squad consisted of between 8 and 12 soldiers depending on the particular branch of the military, and this squad had 9 well-armed men which would be more than enough to deal with most situations. But not now. The number of metal golems swelled in less than a second, and the squad was facing hundreds of them all at once.


    Bullets began firing, striking the metallic flesh, scattering sharp sparks and bits and pieces of stuff. Golems fell, but in their place, more replaced the fallen.


    The remaining company of soldiers watching from the distance fell into a panic at the sudden explosion of violence, the appearance of the most unexpected enemy. Before the Captain could give out a fresh order to go and aid his isolated men, all around them an incredible number of golems began to pop out of the dusty haze.


    A frenzied firefight was the only result that could rise from the meeting of the two opposing forces. The company of soldiers, under the order of the Captain, rapidly formed a circular defensive formation as the enemies surround them and started firing without hesitation.


    Jack had not heard of the real gunshots until now, so he got the shock of his life at how loud they could be. The cacophony of gunpowder expanding under the heat and bullets meeting metal filled the night air. Jack and Vanguard couldn''t move from their spots as they were close-range fighters and if they tried to butt in, a stray bullet could easily hit them. That would be very unfunny.


    In the maelstrom of destruction, Jack kept his Battle Sense stretched as far as possible and observed these metal golems. In the games and fantasy books, these things had a weak point, the magic core. Disregarding the fact that they were simply works of people''s imaginations, he hoped the rule of the core applied here to these golems as well. Because, the countless golems, shot down by the explosive barrage of bullets, continued to attack the soldiers no matter how badly they were damaged.


    Sure, there were enough that were cut down by the rifles but that number was like a pittance compared to the hundreds upon hundreds of golems that had descended down on the company of the soldiers.


    The squad that broke away earlier on were already dead, their limbs ripped apart and the blood coating the rutted concrete below. Red souls rose from the dying bodies but with Jack being in close proximity, they rushed into his Soul Sphere.


    And everytime a golem was destroyed, a wisp of red soul emerged from it. It was too thin to be seen as a full soul, but nevertheless, it entered into Jack without a problem. In a way, this gun battle was nourishing his depleted Soul Sphere.


    What was also being depleted was the ammo of the soldiers. Each of the golems needed a large number of bullets to bring down unless the elusive core was hit, so the stock of ammo was hitting the bottom in no time.


    The Project Dead Kings operatives didn''t use their powers but relied on the weapons they carried, at least for now. Stewart pulled out a humongous anti-material rifle that was as long as Jack''s halberd and started firing the massively overpowered rounds at the body of the golems. This gun was so powerful, the golems that got hit disintegrated after a single shot. And the ones behind the destroyed golems also suffered terrifying destruction from the immense power of the bullets.


    Unlike Jack and his unfoldable halberd though, Stewart''s AM rifle could be disassembled and carried in a metal case, denoting its custom design. The white kid who sat next to the Latin girl, on the other hand, held a carbon composite hunting bow. But he didn''t use any arrows; instead, every time he tugged on the string, a line of deep green light materialized on his fingertips. This line shot out like a real arrow and pierced the golems. It lacked an explosive power like Stewart''s AM rifle, but in turn, had incredible piercing capabilities, plunging past several dozen golems in one shot.


    Looking at them, Jack thought that there were all sorts of Supers out there and that guys like him or Vanguard who could only go out there and swing their fists around were rather unsophisticated and uncouth. He got slightly depressed by that. Why couldn''t Gilgamesh shoot lasers or something? Jack sighed inwardly and lamented the lack of cool long range attacks.


    But his lackadaisical lamentations had to wait for another day as the golems began to overwhelm the outer flanks of the soldiers with the sheer numbers. Blood flowed thick and screams of those falling under the cold, hard metallic hands resounded in the air. One side of the formation collapsed and the golems broke in through this opening.


    Jack had enough. After checking the golems out with Battle Sense, he knew more or less where to attack these damn things. It was time to move. He quickly shouted at Vanguard who was also moving in to intercept the pouring golems. ¡°Aim for their cores!! It''s near the heart!! Destroy that, and these things will go down in one shot!!¡±


    Vanguard heard him just fine, and as to show his thanks, he began to expertly pummel the golems one by one. He used his gloved fist like a pair of battering rams and blew away the torso of the golems. Inwardly, though, he was alarmed at how tough these golems were.


    Meanwhile, Jack swiftly stepped forward and swung the halberd in a wide arc, mindful of not hitting his own allies. A single, clean line was drawn in the air as the weighty weapon scythed past multiple golems'' torsos. A sharp, ear-screeching noise of metal cutting metal drowned out the nearby screams of dying soldiers and the upper torso of the dozen golems flew away, sliced in half.


    Not stopping there, he then proceeded to swing the weapon one more time. The ground gouged out from the sheer power of Jack''s attack, blowing away the surrounding golems into the air and forcing them back.


    The soldiers and the Dead Kings operatives who saw this display of power felt a shocking chill settle down on the pits of their stomachs. The number of golems Jack split in half was not low ¨C it numbered past a dozen, and the ones he pushed back were couple times higher than that.


    Jack himself was surprised by his own strength too. This was the first time he attacked in anger since his power-up, and the extent of the improvement was beyond his own expectations.


    The maniacal grin spread on Jack''s face, hidden under the dark visor. Laughing inwardly, he extended his Battle Sense to envelop the whole of the battlefield that was fast descending into chaos, and jumped into the fray like a wolf jumping into a flock of sheep. Golem massacre had begun in earnest.


    Jack swung and cut down golems like a man possessed. He became the character from one of those Japanese Musou video games where he was mowing down wave after wave of mindless enemies with wild abandon, not worried about his life at all.


    And everytime he cut down a golem, the wisp of red soul entered his Soul Sphere, filling it ever so slightly. When the hidden core was destroyed by his wild but powerful swings, the golem''s connection with the Tree of the End got severed and it melted into a gray puddle, solidifying on the ground after only a few seconds.


    While Jack was minding his own business, the formation finally broke and the individual squads had to take cover in the ruined cityscape, trying to find refuge against the seemingly endless deluge of the metal golems. One of these squads was the Dead Kings'' G Squad.


    Stewart led his unit into a nearby building that missed two of its sides. At least here, he reasoned, there were two fewer sides to cover. He knew it was a suicide to separate from the company but there was no choice in the matter. They were getting overwhelmed and staying put in one place was just as bad as splitting up.


    He calculated the odds and the equation became rather simple ¨C find a shelter from this storm or die trying to defend a point that was actually insignificant in the actual mission itself.


    Also, there was this thing, a nagging belief at the back of his mind that told him this was the best course of action for his men. And that was the statistic he read in a report some time ago.


    The island of Manhattan had around 1.65 million inhabitants. The golems he fought until now... resembled regular people who might have lived in this city. Was there a possibility that every single one of the former residents of this place became those golems? If so, then they simply didn''t have the enough ammo or explosives to weather this storm. He could groan in abject horror at this thought.


    If his conjecture was true, then between his unit and the Tree, there were over a million and a half of metal abominations waiting to kill them. Suddenly, this excursion didn''t sound so clever to him anymore.


    After running for a while through the maze of destroyed buildings, they were given some respite as no more golems attacked them. Catching his breath, he turned to the Latino girl and asked while wiping the sweat off his face.


    ¡°Okay, what''s our situ, Lopez?¡±


    She pulled out a canteen and took a long sip before answering him. ¡°We''re okay for now, but as far as I could see, there''s no way we can break out of that back there. We were totally surrounded. Want my advice? Let''s retreat. We need lots more firepower for this mission. One company is just not enough.¡±


    Stewart gripped his AM rifle tightly and groaned again. ¡°No, we can''t just abandon our mission just like that. We need to.... take a minute to compose ourselves, and we''ll find the others. Our mission is to kill the Guardian Beast and to destroy the structure''s core. Until another order is given, we carry it out to the best of our abilities.¡±


    He turned his attention to another one of his men, a lanky youth, and spoke in a hurry. ¡°Chuck, can you contact the Command with your powers? We need to let them know what happened here.¡±


    Chuck shook his head. ¡°No. The interference also affects my powers. I can only talk to someone within the radius of a couple hundred yards, but that''s it. Even that''s getting tougher the closer we get to the Tree.¡±


    The silence gripped the squad. This was their first real combat outside of the simulation test runs. They were all gung-ho about this first wide scale mission against a suspected Lord of Darkness, but this.... they had seen a lot of people die today. They were mentally prepared, but still, thoughts tumbling in their heads were mixed and barely under control.


    ¡°Okay, don''t give up yet, Chuck. Keep on trying. The C Squad possessed the special ULF radios, right? You can boost the output of that thing. We need to call the HQ and let them know what the hell is going on here.¡± Stewart gripped Chuck''s shoulder and nodded. But before he could give out the next order, someone else chimed in.


    ¡°Wait a second. What about the other companies? Amber and Beverley, I mean. Are they also encountering the same problem as us?¡±


    Stewart gritted his teeth and shook his head. ¡°Maybe. No, most likely. But that''s out of our hands. Look, they can handle themselves. Let''s not worry about them for now. My priority is to get us to the Tree''s core. To complete our mission.¡±


    He studied the faces of his squad and after seeing the grim determinations, he nodded his head slowly.


    ¡°Okay. We can do this. No, we will do this. Because we trained hard for a day like today. So let''s make ourselves proud and get this sh*t done!!¡±


    ~


    Meanwhile, Jack continued to cut down the golems. His arms were getting tired from all that swinging and he knew if this continued, then even he''d have to seriously consider running away. But that was out of the question.


    He knew this was the best chance to bring down the Tree and its Guardian Beast, Humbaba. He knew it was at its weakest right now. If he couldn''t capitalize on this chance, then it''d only get harder later on.


    According to the Epic of Gilgamesh, the battle against the fearsome Guardian, which was going through a trough in its power for some reason, still injured Gilgamesh and his friend, Enkidu. It described the Beast as ¡°only wearing one garment,¡± whatever that meant. Didn''t matter how much of that story was real, what was truly important there was the implied power of the Guardian Beast.


    And Humbaba was at its weakest right now, even weaker than back then. The forces here could potentially contend with the creature. Plus, the promised missile strike could ensure them the victory. But that was only if they acted now.


    Normally, this is nothing more than a fool''s errand, a suicide, Jack thought inwardly as yet another golem turned to a puddle of liquid below his feet.


    Yet, he didn''t feel at all worried, weirdly enough. No, if anything, his mind was exceedingly clear. It was not overflowing with useless confidence nor with conceit. He knew what must be done, no matter the cost.


    His Battle Sense told him not one living soldier was within his vicinity. He grinned like an evil man and gathered a huge amount of strength. He jumped up in the sky, before doing a perfect roll in the air to gather momentum.


    Then, he fell down into the middle of the metal golems like a falling meteor.


    The ground exploded and the dozens and dozens of golems were blown away, disintegrating into nothing more than tiny fragments. Heavy smoke rose from where he struck, and when it cleared, the ground was gouged out into a small crater. All the golems that were surrounding him were destroyed in one go. There were a few that still functioned but the damage was catastrophic and to him at least, didn''t pose any danger. So he ignored those.


    Jack felt satisfied. He felt good, doing that. He was feeling alive at this very moment, relishing this opportunity to cut loose and go wild without a worry in the world. And the halberd was holding up incredibly well, not a nick or scratch on its edges.


    He turned his attentions to where the rest of the soldiers were. In his heightened state, he could see the flow of the battlefield incomparably clearly. It was like he could almost see how each and every skirmish would play out even at a single glance. He was like a wizened general in complete control of the war, able to manipulate it to however he wished.


    Is this how Gilgamesh felt back then? Is this how Gilgamesh became the greatest King on earth?


    Jack''s grin broadened under the visor. He gripped the halberd tightly and rushed forward to the nearest pockets of golems engaged with the desperate soldiers who were fast running out of ammo.


    Several stray shots flew at his way but Jack expertly judged the trajectories correctly and dodged them all. Back in the convenience store, when that armed robber tried to shoot him, he was too slow and all he could do was to duck. But now, he was weaving past the bullets. The change in his abilities was drastic, to say the least.


    Jack moved like lightning and cut down dozens and dozens of slow golems. He alone was responsible for whittling down the number of enemies by more than half. He didn''t keep count, of course. It was not important anyway.


    By the time the last visible golem was cut down, Vanguard had joined up with Jack, looking a bit worse for wear. They simply shared a knowing nod before moving on. The company of soldiers had dispersed and different squads had gone off to different directions. The two Supers wordlessly decided to locate and reorganize the scattered soldiers for the push towards the Tree of the End. This battle was far from over.


    There were dead soldiers everywhere. Vanguard and Lugal ¨C Jack ¨C grimaced at the strong smell of blood floating in the air. Although he had been subjected to death and gore already, the scale here was quite different as there were people involved here, rather than monsters or some wild coyote.


    The duo located the surviving soldiers quickly but the trouble didn''t end there.


    ¡°We''re withdrawing. We can''t continue,¡± said the company Captain, his face caked in blood and fatigue. ¡°We underestimated the threat level. The preparations weren''t enough. This mission... is a failure.¡±


    Jack couldn''t blame the guy for his decision. Almost three-fifths of his company were either dead or missing. Radio communication was difficult, verging on impossible if he wanted to call HQ due to strange interference. Their ammo supply was running critically low. There were many wounded. And they had no idea just how many more of those golems they had to fight to get to the base of the Tree. In the Captain''s estimation, this was already a lost cause. He was cutting his losses before it was too late.


    Of course, empathizing with the person and agreeing with him was two different matter altogether.


    ¡°I''m not going back. The danger will double, no triple, when we return later. The Guardian Beast Humbaba should be at its weakest right now. I''m planning to take this chance and strike, destroying the core of that Tree before the sunrise,¡± said Jack. He took a long, probing stare at the Captain, seeing the man''s mind not about to change.


    Sighing, Jack shook his head. ¡°If you want to go back, I''ll not stop you. But... I''ll need the explosives and the laser designator. Leave them behind.¡±


    There was a moment of silence, before the Captain turned to his subordinate and gave out the order. ¡°Fine. Sergeant, relinquish our HMX reserves and the laser designator to Mister Lugal here. I hope you know how to operate them.¡±


    As the bombs were being gathered, what was remaining here anyway, Jack asked Vanguard who was drinking water from the canteen. ¡°What about you, Vanguard?¡±


    ¡°Do you even need to ask?¡± replied the burly Super. ¡°We keep going, and smash this thing apart. I ain''t planning to keep Nico and his gang waiting.¡±


    (Another chapter that took a little longer than I expected. I may have fudged up on the military tactics and their gear, so if you spot them, please forgive me and point them out in the comments.)


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!! Well, it doesn''t have to be a lot..... even a single buck would be fine, you know.)

 Red Souls Chapter 25: The Second Proelium

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 25: The Second Proelium</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    (Edit: Oops!! This is what happens when you don''t have an editor or a proofreader to remind you of missing parts of the story. I edited in a couple of paragraphs to fill that hole. Hopefully it''s been filled before anyone actually noticed the gaffe!!)


    After bidding farewell to the retreating Special Operations Forces soldiers, Jack and Vanguard rushed towards the base of the Tree of the End, where the Metropolitan Museum of Art once stood. Jack remembered that thing about collecting dog tags of the fallen soldiers but according to the company Captain, it wasn''t an issue as they''d return with a bigger force later on and do the collecting then.


    Unlike before, the duo of Jack and Vanguard chose to enter the inner sanctum of the enemy in a smarter way. Instead of mindlessly mowing down the scores of metal golems that blocked their way, they tried to avoid as much battle as possible and hid behind the available covers, sometimes staying completely silent to avoid setting off the ears and eyes of the enemies.


    Preserving their stamina was the main reason for this decidedly out of character behavior from both of these two close-range, destroy-first-ask-questions-later type guys. Well, they no longer had the luxury of having heavily-armed comrades guard their backs so economizing what they had sounded about right. Also, Jack and Vanguard were carrying the supply of HMX explosives in their backpacks ¨C it wouldn''t be funny at all if a mistake happened during their charge and the bombs go off prematurely. Especially while still on their backs.


    So, they ignored the golems at the front and the ones left behind, hoping that when they stop the Tree''s functions, these damnable things would stop on their own, giving them a smooth exit after the completion of the mission. They had no basis to believe this, but bereft of other choices, they simply had to forge on. They concentrated solely on getting there in the perfect incognito.


    As expected of two Supers, the progress was faster compared to when babysitting a company of soldiers, and before long, they were standing only a couple hundred yards away from the Central Park. A massive but unmoving vine laid here, as if it was resting after a long day''s work. In the hazy distance, Jack could see the shapes of other vines.


    He carefully observed the outer perimeter of the park while hidden behind some rubble of a building, up on the second floor. The view from up here was good, and the rubble seemed solid enough to support his and Vanguard''s weight. Plus, the passing golems couldn''t spot them, which was even better. Where were they? Jack couldn''t tell, since all the street lamps and sign posts were long gone. And he didn''t know much about Manhattan''s street names anyway.


    After a while, Jack noticed, through the haze, that there were no metal golems on the grounds of the park itself. On the streets surrounding it, he couldn''t even count the sheer number of these things. Jack found this rather interesting.


    ¡°Damn, just how many of those damn things are out there?!¡±


    Vanguard whispered after seeing the same situation as Jack did, evidently flustered by the sea of dark brown metal golems meandering around between the ruined, crumbling buildings and the park itself. To them, it looked like there were more than dozen tens of thousands here alone.


    Jack had to agree that the number of these golems were on the wrong side of being ridiculous. Good thing they chose to avoid fighting anything and everything, otherwise it''d take literally forever to get here. But the situation in the park drew in the gaze, making him wonder what was going on there. Why weren''t any golems prowling on the once-pristine grassy banks of the Central Park?


    Unable to think of a reason, he decided that two heads were better than one in this case.


    ¡°Hey, Mister Vanguard. You see what I''m seeing over there? Why is it that there aren''t any golems in the park?¡±


    Vanguard trained his sharp eyes and studied the Park. He narrowed his eyes and slowly stroked his chin. ¡°Yeah, I see it. Looks like there might be something in the park itself preventing these golems from getting near it. Not even one of them dares get close. Can it be.... the opening we were looking for?¡±


    They exchanged knowing nods. Not one word was necessary to reach a simple consensus, which was, it''d be a real pain not to take this opportunity and rush in. If it was a trap, fine, they had firm confidence that they could escape from the nefarious clutches of the evil schemers so it was more than reasonable to take this offered chance.


    Without further ado, the two gathered strength in their legs and kicked out of the cover. Their aim was to run straight past the walls of golems and to enter the park in one go.


    Vanguard stepped on the head of the hapless and slow golem, crushing it as he rebounded off of it. Jack''s jump itself took him a lot further and he only needed to jump once more to reach the park. The golems immediately started attacking as soon as the duo broke out from behind the cover, but other than raising a noisy ruckus, there was very little they could do.


    Vanguard crushed the ones trying to get clever with his bare fists. Jack didn''t just wait around and began to smash the golems too, clearing the way for the burly Super. Once the laced boots firmly landed on the park, the two braced for the expected ambush of the enemy.


    It didn''t come. They waited for a few seconds, highly alert, but in the end, nothing happened. As a matter of fact, everything went deathly quiet.


    Confused, Jack glanced back only to receive quite a shock. Vanguard belatedly also turned his gaze behind and saw the empty street behind them.


    The landscape teeming with metal golems were now eerily devoid of anything. There was absolutely nothing there, not even a single golem standing. As if it was all a lie and the two of them had imagined the sea of metal golems all by themselves. Not a trace of the golem army remained.


    ¡°Okay.... now that is too f*cking spooky.¡±


    Vanguard swore under his breath. Jack too felt like uttering an expletive to show how unnerved he was right now, but gave up after realizing he was too speechless to say anything smart to follow that up.


    Shaking his head, Vanguard groaned. ¡°Whew. Alright, this is getting seriously weird. Hey, Lugal, you know what, let''s just rush forward here. If we stop and try to figure this thing out, we''ll need the whole damn year for it.¡±


    Jack wasn''t happy that Vanguard lumped him into the category of the muscle-brained, but chose not to retort for now. Because he happened to agree with the older Super''s idea.


    Jack nodded and the two began to run. The inert metal vine remained still but they took a wide berth from it, not taking any chances with the destructive thing. Not once did they lower their guard as the distance between them and the base of the Tree shrunk rapidly.


    The number of vines increased closer they got. Soon, they had no choice but to run on the vines themselves as the ground had pretty much disappeared under these metallic protrusions. At least they were firm under their pounding feet and didn''t swat them off like an irritating bug.


    Jack used this bit of temporary respite to configure the PDA and the survival suit to link up with the laser designator. Even though he asked for it, that didn''t mean he knew how to use it. By linking the laser to the advanced operating software of his suit, Jack thought he could at least do what the thing was intended for. Then he reminded himself of the activation sequence for the explosives. That one was easy enough.


    However, the truly urgent issue of finding a way to contact the outside world, more specifically the aircraft carrier off the coast, didn''t enter their minds until now. Jack heard about the intense signal interference but naively he believed that once he pointed the laser at the target, the cavalry would come guns blazing.


    In truth, because the normal radio waves couldn''t penetrate this unknown electromagnetic interference, those in command decided on the usage of the special short-range Ultra Low Frequency ¡°Earth-mode¡± radio equipment. The signal generated by this radio could travel underground and even though the quality was also affected by the interference, it was deemed very much functional.


    However, even though ULF communication was pioneered in World War 1, the equipment for personal use was still in research and testing phase under the project DARPA had funded. In other words, it was still an experimental technology. Almost no military base had this radio laying around, never mind equipping every soldier under the flag with one.


    Thus, only one experimental ULF radio was issued per platoon. There were three platoons in this company, so that meant there was a grand total of three ULF radios in the hands of soldiers participating in this mission. One left with the retreating soldiers while the other two were lost during the melee of the golem army. As to why the Captain failed to hand over this vital communication equipment, it was simple, really. He wanted to contact the evac team as soon as he was near the rendezvous point. And the ULF radio was the only thing that guaranteed to get his message across. Nothing against the two Supers, but his priority was to get his surviving men off this goddamned island, after all.


    Unfortunately, neither Vanguard nor Lugal were terribly aware of this oversight, blithely heading towards where the entrance to the core of the Tree was.


    ¡°Hey, Lugal. You feel that?¡±


    Vanguard spoke in an uneasy tone as he stopped to take in the sight of the huge black ¡°pole¡± in front of them. He was rubbing his knuckles just now, but stopped after thinking that something was amiss.


    Jack glanced him, briefly wondering what he was talking about. Then he felt it too. There was another, faint vibration on the ground that didn''t belong to the Tree''s own hum. This new one was different, as he could actually hear the thump coming from the Tree itself. It reminded Jack of a heart beating slowly.


    A grim foreboding that had taken root but was in quietened state roused from its slumber again and let Jack know he better hurry with whatever he was here for.


    ¡°So, isn''t this about time when either that bastard Nico Gavalas or that Guardian thing with a funny name show up?¡±


    Vanguard casually spat out while cracking his knuckles. He grimaced a little as his body protested inwardly at the vigorous activity it had to endure, something he hadn''t done in a long while. Especially, his bum knee was raising the biggest complaint here, making him slightly frown in irritation.


    Hearing the potential flag-raising words, Jack reached to his lower back to grab the laser designator, securely fastened there with a strap. He was getting ready to use the laser designator but thought for a second and decided to hand it to Vanguard instead. ¡°Take this, Mr. Vanguard. I''ll be drawing Humbaba''s attention while you use the opportunity to tag the beast. And then, we will....¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, there was a huge rumbling coming from the dark clouds above. It sounded like a lion roaring in anger, sending instinctive chills down Jack''s spine.


    He felt this incredible urge to dodge ¨C and as he was about to say something, a crack of purple lightning hit the ground about one hundred meters in front. The world was scorched into white nothingness and it blinded Vanguard. Jack fared better, as the visor was able to block out the most of the glare.


    In that moment, quicker than the proverbial blink of an eye, his body reacted. Jack grabbed blinded Vanguard and quickly jumped up high as the powerful surge of electricity traveled on the surface of the metal vine they were standing on. If they remained there, standing still and unaware, then they would have been deep fried right there.


    The electric shock went past quickly and the danger of electrocution passed with it. Safely landing on the solid floor, Jack stayed vigilant as he let go of Vanguard. The burly Super mouthed the words of thanks as he rubbed his eyes, trying to get his vision back.


    Jack checked out the place where the lightning and sucked in his breath. The metal vine''s surface was gouged out in a huge chunk and he could see some kind of blue liquid slowly seeping out. A few seconds later, the ¡°wound¡± on the vine repaired itself and now, it was spotless. Now that was some Super regenerative ability, Jack mused silently.


    Meanwhile, Vanguard''s vision was restored. He narrowed his eyes in displeasure, thinking he got caught with his pants down. He''d been away from the thick of things for far too long, and this was the result ¨C inability to react in that split-second. If it weren''t for Lugal, he''d be dead by now, or at least, left completely defenseless.


    The two men slowly began to move forward again, this time even more cautious than before. But even then, they still failed to pick up on a ghostly apparition slowly emerging from the surface of the vines.


    ¡°Well, well now. We have visitors. Welcome, welcome.¡±


    Jack and Vanguard quickly took guard and chased after the origin of the voice.


    ¡°It''s him,¡± said Vanguard as his eyes firmly trained on the smiling mug of Nico Gavalas who was standing where the lightning had fallen. He strode out confidently, his short dark hair now almost silver and shoulder length. There was silver beard growing on his face, too. A rather drastic change from what he looked like only one day ago.


    But that wasn''t what made Jack do a double-take at Nico''s appearance. That gaping wound on his chest area did. The kind of damage that should have killed a person outright regardless of being a Super or not was clearly visible on Nico''s torso but he was walking around and speaking without a problem. He didn''t even seem to realize that there was a gaping wound with mangled bits of flesh hanging loose right where his lungs should have been.


    ¡°I''m not quite sure what brought you two gentlemen to the altar of worship for this magnificent Tree of the End, but I do welcome every visitor. Your timely sacrifices are an absolutely necessary for our glorious cause, after all.¡±


    Nico grandly clapped his hands and from behind him, a stone tablet flew up, until it came to a stop slightly above his head. There was a low, powerful pulsating hum coming off of this thing, sending out illusory waves of golden light. Rather than making it look majestic, though, the golden light show looked sinister and foreboding instead.


    Jack''s eyes trembled as he could sense an enormous, powerful resonance from it, similar to the unique aura from the red souls but this one was far denser and filled with this terrifying storm of resentment and hatred.


    Even Vanguard could feel his skin prickling at the sight of that strange stone tablet. He saw bizarre red light mixed within the golden hue, like blood mixing in with orange juice and spoiling it. Every one of his instincts was telling him to be extra careful if he wished to survive the night.


    Nico lightly chuckled as he walked closer. In his previously empty hand, an ancient looking dagger suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He casually brandished it and pointed it towards Vanguard and Jack nonchalantly.


    ¡°You two have come at just the right time!! I needed that little extra blood to fully open the summoning gate for the great Guardian Beast so your contributions here will be greatly appreciated. So, I thank you for your prudent arrival, gentlemen.¡±


    ¡°Dream on, you freak,¡± growled Vanguard as clenched his fist tightly. ¡°What the hell did you do to Blast Storm?¡±


    Nico tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Hmm? What''s that?¡±


    ¡°Don''t act stupid, Gavalas. A Superhero named Blast Storm went to stop you at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And then that Tree or whatever sprouted out of there right after. You did something to him, so now spit it out, you bastard!!¡±


    Nico searched his memory for a second or two, before his eyes lit up. ¡°Oh!! Now I remember. Are you talking about the Super who could manipulate the wind? Whew, wow. Let me tell you, he was a real handful. I was nearly in deep trouble. Nearly.¡± Nico chuckled fondly as if he was recalling a particularly pleasant memory. ¡°Well, he did put up a pretty good fight. But ultimately, he became the nourishing sacrifice for the opening of the gate, so you should be happy, mister.¡±


    Vanguard nearly lost it. He took a threatening step forward but Jack swiftly stopped him from doing something rash. Vanguard simply gritted his teeth, trying to calm himself from recklessly charging in.


    Nico''s grin turned sinister, watching Vanguard''s demeanor.


    ¡°Huh, was he your friend? Oh, I didn''t know. Well, if you so wish, I could summon him for you. He can help you see the light!! Hmm, yes. I think it''s a good idea. Don''t you agree?¡±


    Nico clapped his hands again, then a nearly invisible wisp of soul emerged from the stone tablet before settling down on the metal floor in front of him. Jack stiffened and gripped the halberd tightly.


    The surface of the metal vine rumbled briefly before splitting apart and a dark figure rose from the crack. Seeing this, Vanguard and Jack both sucked in their breaths, although each for their different reasons.


    For Vanguard, it was the sheer horror of seeing his friend, Blast Storm, rising up from the dead as one of those infernal metal golems. And for Jack, his eyes perceived the process how the red soul infused with the ground and formed the golem in an instant.


    Jack couldn''t help but utter the words, not caring whether anyone could hear him or not.


    ¡°The Lord of Darkness.... holy crap. Is this what a Lord can do?!¡±


    The revived Blast Storm''s arms and legs were swiftly surrounded by the tempest of winds, shearing apart the accumulated rubble around its feet. The sharpness of those blades of wind was easy to discern; coming in contact with that would surely mean a very painful injury.


    ¡°Well, what do you think? A pretty good, yes?¡± Nico grinned brightly. ¡°Now, please become the sacrifices.¡±


    Blast Storm pounced at Jack and Vanguard. Jack was about to receive the golem''s attack with his halberd but the formerly retired Superhero had other ideas. He shoved Jack away and shouted. ¡°I''ll take care of this, you get that son of a bi*ch Nico Gavalas!!¡±


    Jack tumbled lightly on the uneven ground before rebounding on his two feet. He glanced over at Vanguard, who had dodged backwards from Blast Storm''s wind-encased fists.


    He sighed and turned his attention back at Nico, but to Jack''s surprise, he was not at the same spot anymore. Nico was closing in on Jack incredibly fast, his deadly dagger shooting forward, aiming for the heart. There wasn''t even enough time to check if the bombs in the backpack were alright.


    Cursing inwardly, Jack was about to tilt his body out of the way but then, his Battle Sense automatically kicked in and he instead crouched down and swung the halberd in a huge arc.


    At the same time, the Divine Dagger of the Enki extended. Nico swung the extended blade horizontally in a practiced manner. If Jack had tilted out of the way, he''d been hit by that move.


    Nico''s pupils contracted as he saw the halberd''s blade heading towards his midriffs. He kicked the floor hard and forced his body to twist out of the way. But the shock wave from Jack''s powerful swing still blew him away a good dozen feet or so.


    Nico tumbled on the ground in ungainly fashion but stood up and dusted himself. The smile on his face grew a little colder as he pondered how his mysterious opponent was able to dodge his strike, which had grown in speed and accuracy as he neared the godhood.


    Jack didn''t really care all that much for Nico''s internal monolog and rushed in after the vassal of En-men-lu-ana with the full intention to kill, driven solely by the disgust emanating from the deep subconscious.


    Right next to them, things were heating up as well. Vanguard punched the metal surface below his feet and cracked it apart, then lifted this broken section up to block the fake Blast Storm''s projectile wind attacks. The section was as big as an office desk and offered some protection as Vanguard charged in towards the metal golem which now possessed the powers and the abilities of the Super it was mimicking.


    Of course, it was far easier said than done, even to someone like Vanguard who knew ins and outs of his friend possibly better than anyone alive.


    He knew that Blast Storm would usually fire off several long and mid-range attacks with the wind to tire out his opponents. It was best to get in closer in order to conserve the stamina. That didn''t mean the close-quarter fight with Blast Storm was easy. On the contrary, Storm was one of the finest hand-to-hand fighters in GoH. It was just that, faced with little alternatives, facing him in the short range was preferable and Vanguard knew that.


    He stomped on the ground to crack the surface of the metal vine again, and threw the largest resulting piece of rubble at the Blast Storm golem. Right after, he proceeded to pick up several smaller debris and rapidly threw those at the fake as well, not trying to hit it but trying to distract it long enough to get in closer.


    Normally, a plan this simple and transparent would never work against a Super like Blast Storm. But Vanguard had figured out that these golems, while preserving the outward appearances and abilities of the people they imitated, lacked what one would call a tangible intelligence. It was not that difficult to fool them.


    Thus, Vanguard succeeded in closing the gap. To blindside the golem, he threw the large piece of metal debris he used as a shield until now at the enemy and dashed right behind it. Once he judged it was close enough, Vanguard punched as hard as he could at the rubble. The fake Blast Storm raised a barrier of wind to surround itself but he was waiting for that. The fist pushed the rubble into this barrier and the mess of metal bits broke out, turning it into a hurricane of sorts. Vanguard quickly took a step back to protect his hand from getting eviscerated by his own intentional move.


    To bookend the maneuver, Vanguard quickly gathered strength on the muscles of his lower torso and sent all of it down to the floor, causing a small earthquake of sorts. This attack took a lot more energy than usual as he was performing it on top of the metal vine, but the result was more than satisfactory as a wide area beneath his feet cracked apart.


    The fake Blast Storm lost its balance and the hurricane of metal and wind went out of control. The sharp bits cut into the golem''s surface, slicing it to ribbons. With that, the barrier of wind disappeared. Vanguard seized this opening and threw out a fist loaded with incredible power behind it. The heavy attack splendidly connected with the abdomen of the wobbling golem, with a loud thud.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    I''m sorry, my friend, for not being able to do more, thought Vanguard as he watched the expressionless golem fly away from the impact while crumbling into several chunky fragments. The core of the golem, a small, purplish round jewel-like item the size of a person''s pinky was left exposed from the disintegrating golem and even it bore the brunt of Vanguard''s fist, turning into a fine mist of powder.


    Vanguard thought his battle was over and relaxed for a millisecond, before he sensed danger from his side and hastily dodged forward. And a blink of an eye later, the ground he stood on, cracked apart and an enormous stone hand rose up, trying to grab him.


    Vanguard sucked in another deep breath as he immediately recognized this ability. It belonged to one of two GoH Superheroes dispatched to guard the museum.


    Damn it, this means...!!


    He had no time to ponder. The ground beneath cracked open again and a whip of earth snapped at his back. Vanguard raised all his limbs to protect his vital areas as the whip slammed into him.


    Vanguard was flung away, a trail of blood oozing down from the corner of his lips. His backpack was torn from the shoulder strap and flew into the another direction, disappearing into the dusty haze. He crashed on the concrete ground off the vine and left a lengthy trail of gouged earth behind, coming to a stop only after another vine provided a place for him to crash into and stop the momentum.


    Vanguard spat out a mouthful of blood and slowly wiped the trail off his lips, all the while searching for the one responsible for his dire situation, the Super that could wield the stone like it was an extension of himself ¨C Magnaterran.


    And as he suspected, there he was, the fake Magnaterran. Just how this abomination was able to call out a hand made out of earth on top of a metal vine was a mystery, but for Vanguard, he couldn''t really care about that right now, because behind Magnaterran, more and more of the Supers that were caught up in the destruction of Manhattan began to rise up one by one, resurrected as the unfeeling, emotionless golems.


    They never make this easy for me, huh.


    Vanguard chuckled bitterly. He didn''t find this situation at all funny but under the circumstances, that was all he could do. He groaned, and stood up gingerly while patting the dust off himself.


    ¡°Oh, well. Might as well, right?¡±


    Vanguard took a deep breath to calm the aching body and kneaded his bum knee, praying that it would last until the end of this dirge. He wasn''t really confident of this, however. He had been running and fighting for a quite a while now, so the moment his repaired knee and all the metal bits and pieces in there holding up the damaged ligaments giving up the ghost should arrive pretty soon.


    But before that happened, he had to give Lugal as much chance as possible to deal the finishing blow.


    Vanguard took a quick glance at where Lugal was fighting Nico Gavalas and smiled ruefully at the high-tempo battle unfolding over there. Those two were ways away from his own position, but because of the distance, it was also easier to see how ridiculous their movements were. They didn''t seem human at all.


    He knew now that it was a wise decision to let Lugal face off against Nico, as there was no way Vanguard could participate in that insanity. The two of them were moving so fast, even Vanguard was having a hard time figuring out what was going on.


    Shaking his head ruefully, Vanguard loosened up his shoulders and took the final deep breath, before dashing towards the group of fake Supers, a grim but determined expression on his face hidden behind the torn and dirtied wrestling mask.


    Meanwhile, Jack''s halberd relentlessly clashed with Nico Gavalas''s trick dagger. In a second, the two exchanged dozens and dozens of attacks and counters, neither side gaining a clear advantage over the other.


    Jack was inwardly stunned at how brilliant Nico was at handling the strange dagger. Jack was relying heavily on his Battle Sense and the memories of Gilgamesh in order to proficiently wield the huge halberd and he could contend with Nico just fine. But that was only in the beginning. As the clock ticked on, this stalemate was fueling his impatience.


    He didn''t expect the opposition to be this fierce. Jack fought enough difficult monsters back in the red pyramid so he was fairly confident of his rapidly developing skills, but Nico''s deft handling of that dagger really surprised him.


    But, on the other hand, Nico too, was also quite unhappy and confused. After En-men-lu-ana changed him into a powerful demigod, he thought nothing in this world could stop him but here he was, a Super wearing a funny dark armor and a helmet was forcing him to use every bit of strength in order to survive. This was perplexing him a great deal.


    Feeling flummoxed by this occurrence, Nico wasn''t sure what he should do. All his fights had ended fairly easily until now and this was probably only the second time he had to exert more than just a wink and a nod. Blast Storm was one such fight, but this guy... this Super was something else.


    Nico thought that there was something oddly.... familiar about this man, about the way he moved and wielded that huge halberd, but could not understand why.


    ¡°Hmph, this is so troublesome!!¡±


    Nico groaned in dissatisfaction. He could have used that attack of turning people into sand, but it used up too much of the stored blood sacrifices in the stone tablet. That wouldn''t work, considering he needed the said sacrifices to bridge the Dark Void and open up a gate for the Guardian Beast to cross over to this side.


    Also, he couldn''t utilize the mental interception by the golden skull of En-men-lu-ana, his wonderful and trusted liege. The True Immortal King was too busy interacting with the Tree''s core, so Nico was basically on his own.


    He couldn''t count on the assistance of the summoned golems either as they were still engaged in a bitter struggle with the other, macho Superhero over yonder.


    Unable to find a simple and quick answer, Nico clicked his tongue in annoyance, and decided to just overpower his opponent. He had all the confidence in the world; his newly-acquired powers were the greatest under the heavens, after all.


    Nico stepped forward and sent out a series of precise jabbing strikes. Jack swung the halberd and swept the attacks away before thrusting his own attack in, deftly building his own momentum.


    With a harsh, clanging sound, sparks flew as the metal collided with metal. Taking a deep breath, Jack exploded with strength and struck Nico''s defense, sending him flying away. Nico''s bloody body slammed on the metal vine''s surface and he ungracefully rolled on it, leaving a trail of blood and gore.


    That didn''t seem to damage him in the slightest, though. Nico couldn''t feel much pain at all from that attack. Dusting himself off, Nico stood up and glared angrily at Jack. ¡°Who are you?! How can you be.... this strong?!¡±


    Jack pointed the tip of the halberd at Nico and provoked him. ¡°Stop wasting time and come at me.¡±


    Nico''s brows tightened, even more annoyed. He snorted derisively, before clapping his hands. The metal surface beneath his feet trembled, before rising up to swallow him whole.


    ¡°What the?!¡±


    Jack frowned, thinking that Nico was trying to escape. But his Battle Sense screamed at him and before he knew it, his body moved out of the way just as the dagger''s blade shot out from the floor under him, squarely aimed at his chest. It didn''t end there, though, as multiple dagger blades stabbed at him, causing Jack to continuously retreat.


    Damn it, this crafty bastard!!


    Jack grimaced and hurriedly dodged the attacks, unable to counter. He wasn''t sure how Nico was doing this, but he needed to find a way to wrestle back the advantage ASAP.


    Letting out a loud, angry yell, Jack jumped up and slammed the halberd down on the concrete, shattering the ground apart in the diameter of dozen feet and showering the surroundings with debris. This attack wasn''t as powerful as the one he used to clear out the golems before, but for what he had in mind, it''d do. He continued to slam the ground, matching the timing of the dagger''s sneaky thrusts.


    Eventually, one connected and as the ground exploded, Nico was thrown out as well. His body was now in even worse shape than before. He took a nasty tumble, his arms and legs flailing around like a broken ragdoll.


    Coughing heavily, Nico stood up and wiped the dirt off his face, shock and unhappiness mixing in together as a dangerous, volatile cocktail.


    ¡°YOU....?!¡±


    Nico glared angrily at Jack before calming all the way down, as if nothing troubled him anymore. An enigmatic smile returned on his lips as he sighed gently. The change in temperament was as sudden as it could get. Jack narrowed his eyes, his senses going overboard to stay alert at any other sinister tactics this villain might use next.


    But before Jack could do anything, he was showered with debris as an explosion occurred nearby. Vanguard tumbled out of the falling rocks and rising dust, his body full of small scratches and numerous wounds, bleeding all over. The burly Superhero''s costume was ripped and torn in places, and it was unknown whether he was still alive or not.


    Jack grimaced and divided his focus just a bit to see what the hell was going on there ¨C and he promptly wished he didn''t. Well, the good news was, Vanguard was still alive, barely, and was standing up on his own power.


    What''s not so good was the thirteen golems that resembled various Superheroes, flinging around all sorts of Superpowers everywhere like fireworks in a carnival.


    Oh, crap.


    Jack swore loudly inside, knowing that at this rate, Vanguard was going down. And then, he''d be next.


    No wonder, that bastard Nico looks so damn relaxed...


    Jack took another glance at Vanguard. Judging by the state of things, he figured he roughly had maybe five minutes, tops, before he''d have to fight everyone here with Vanguard out of commission.


    Damn it, only if I could enhance my specs by drawing out red souls from the Soul Sphere ¨C this fight wouldn''t have dragged out for this long!!


    Jack gripped the halberd tightly, making a conscious choice to go after Nico first and to deal with him as soon as possible. That seemed like the prudent choice here. No, it was the only choice he had.


    Vanguard, even if saved, wouldn''t be much of a help against Nico. And Jack would have to waste energy to deal with the golems too. If he was a bit stronger, then none of this would be of consequence, but....


    Damn it, is that the only choice I have? Do I have to abandon Vanguard?


    Jack desperately thought of a way. He even prayed that there was someone out there coming to help, like how it was in all those animes and movies. But it was a waste of time as he knew that there was no one in the vicinity.


    In his pressured mind, an idea struck him like a mean left hook from Mike Tyson. His eyes focused on that stone tablet floating in the air, to the right of Nico Gavalas.


    Yeah, that might work. But I gotta be careful with the timing!!


    Jack narrowed his eyes and took a stance. He lowered the halberd and gathered strength in his legs, before shooting out like a bullet.


    Nico chuckled lightly. ¡°Oh? So you still wish to tangle with me, eh? Abandon your friend, just like that? How admirable!!¡±


    He raised the dagger and stabbed out at the approaching figure of Jack. But just before the extending tip of the weapon came into contact, Jack leaped up in the air, and went for the stone tablet instead.


    Nico''s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°NO!!¡±


    As if driven by instinct far more powerful than that of self preservation, Nico threw his own body into the path of Jack''s halberd.


    Jack didn''t stay his hands ¨C no need to, unless he was an idiot. Jack''s halberd sliced through Nico''s body and ripped him apart like paper.


    Blood and gore flew everywhere. Jack of old would have felt sick by now, but after spending so much time in the red pyramid and getting used to killing those hybrid monsters, he thought such a sight was normal to see. He didn''t even flinch slightly.


    One half of Nico landed on Jack''s left side, while the other half was flung away from the shock wave and thrashed about on the ground.


    Jack coldly thought, this should do, as he lightly landed back on the ground.


    Nico, however, was miraculously still alive. He coughed out more blood, but his smile didn''t leave his face. No, instead, it grew in madness.


    ¡°Oh, well. You got me there real good, mister. Well done.¡±


    Jack grimaced at the torn half of Nico before turning away. He might be okay at seeing such a gory scene play out, but something told him he wouldn''t be able to hold his meals later on if this moment was strongly imprinted in his head. Besides, he needed to go and help Vanguard out before it was too late.


    Nico gruntled as he struggled to right his half body. ¡°Oh hey, wait a second. Where are you going, mister? We are not done here, you know!!¡±


    Jack''s eyebrows twitched for a second, before he dashed towards where Vanguard was, who was desperately trying to fend off multiple attacks from the fake Supers.


    Vanguard was rolling on the ground to dodge balls of white flames as well as wisps of red electricity buzzing around incessantly.


    Jack jumped off the metal vine and dashed forward real fast, remembering not to get hit by that electricity or he''d be cooked inside this survival suit. He swung the halberd and struck the nearest fake Super as hard as he could, with the express goal of launching it against other golem firing off the troublesome electrical attacks.


    The two collided with a loud explosion, destroying them both. Smiling wickedly at the success, Jack then changed his direction and jumped into the fray of the fake Supers with wild abandon. But he had overlooked one important fact: Nico wasn''t dead.


    As a matter of fact, the two halves of him were crawling toward each other rather laboriously.


    ¡°Hah, you think you defeated me?! Not even close, mister. Oh no, I have things to do, the world to change!! My purpose is glorious and can not be denied....!! I will show you, all of you.... that me, Nico Gavalas won''t be forgotten like this!! I won''t fail when I''m so close!!¡±


    He reached the other half of his body and tried to mount it, but as expected, the damage was too catastrophic to overcome that easily. Unless there was some kind of divine healing magic at work, the two torsos weren''t going to attach themselves no matter what he did. Nico gritted his teeth in anger, and howled like a beast.


    ¡°No!! I can still.... fight!! I can still change this world for the better!! The gods haven''t abandoned me, I still have my will to carry on!!¡±


    His feverish eyes turned and searched like a madman, until he fixed on the stone tablet. Then, a crazed smile crossed his lips.


    ¡°Yes!! Yes, that is it!!¡±


    Nico shouted gleefully. In one moment, his hand was empty; then next, the Divine Dagger of Enki that was blown away to somewhere when Jack sliced Nico apart, reappeared like a magic trick.


    Without hesitation, Nico stabbed himself with the blade and then viciously twisted it. More blood spilled out from his mouth and his body became withered in a second. His blood, from his body, on the ground, rose up and began to form a globe.


    The crazed smile spread wider on his lips.


    ¡°Yes!! If it''s not enough, then take my own blood!! Open the gate and let the gods in!! Let my blood be the key to this world''s salvation!!¡±


    The very last drop of blood left Nico just as he lost all strength in the grip of the dagger, his hands falling on the ground and soon after, his torn torso slumped forward, finally dead.


    It was at this precise moment Jack felt it. The resonance from the red souls crazily soared, lighting up his senses like a bomb going off. He smashed the golem that shot white flames with the blunt side of the halberd and hurriedly looked back.


    He caught the sight of Nico''s sizable red soul coagulating right before the stone tablet. Now, it was the turn of Jack''s eyes to open wide in shock.


    Oh, sh*t!! That.... is not good!!


    Cursing loudly, Jack ran towards the stone tablet. If he got close enough, he would be able to wrestle the control of Nico''s red soul and prevent it from entering the tablet.


    But the suction force was far stronger than Jack imagined. Well before he could take three steps, the globe of blood was absorbed into the tablet and spiderweb-like red cracks rapidly spread out on the tablet''s surface.


    Then, with the loudest explosion he had ever experienced, Jack was thrown a long way back from the shockwave, hundreds of feet away even though he was already so far from it. This time, he did spat out blood from his mouth as the incredible shock transmitted throughout his body, dyeing the inside of the visor red.


    Vanguard and the remaining golems were swept away as well.


    Jack struggled to his feet and threw off the backpack, instinctively searching for air and trying to wipe the sticky blood away from on his face only to remember that he was wearing a helmet. Not caring whether he was seen or not, he threw off the helmet and gaped for the lung-filling breath. He then looked around but couldn''t spot Vanguard nor the golems anymore. His Battle Sense wasn''t picking up anything at all.


    Grimacing, he tried to settle the tumbling innards to the best of his ability all the while searching for the halberd which was knocked out of his grasp. Thankfully, it was nearby, lodged firmly on the side of a metal vine.


    Jack pried it loose and held the weapon closely as the roiling clouds began to emit sickly purple hue down to the spot where the stone tablet was. But now, in its place, there was a mass of swirling purple-golden light, interspersed with crimson and screeching howls of numerous souls in torment that sent shivers down Jack''s backside. This mass of light floated just above the thick vine, hovering there and attracting the clouds and all the malevolent aura around like a vacuum cleaner. The motes of light weren''t spared either, as all the nearest ones were pulled in as well.


    This swirling mass then emitted a powerful, ear-splitting screech and expanded in size. Another sharp screech, followed by yet another expansion of the size. It continued to grow, until it reached a humongous proportion, as big as a three-story building.


    And from this floating, burning light, a foot emerged at the bottom, landing on the ground with a loud thud. Jack couldn''t help but think, now that is one helluva big-ass foot.


    Soon after, another foot. Then the hovering mass of purple-golden light changed and morphed slowly into a humanoid form.


    Jack was deeply shocked at the sheer size of the creature that emerged from the light. He had a feeling that its size was going to be enormous judging by those feet on the ground, but even then, he was not prepared.


    It was huge. It was at least as tall as a city bus if it stood on one end. No, it was taller. Much taller.


    ¡°What in the name of holy hell.... So that is Humbaba?!¡±


    Jack muttered as he clenched his fist tightly. The Guardian Beast''s appearance looked exactly like the creature in one of the murals back in Mylorne Akkad''s loft. It had the exaggerated limbs from an ape, and a head shaped like a bull but its facial features were closer to that of a man. It also stood completely naked and its considerable junior was in full exposure.


    And in its right hand, a huge black metal club, seemingly made out of the same material as the Tree itself.


    Jack''s mind went blank for a second; the fragmented memories of Gilgamesh suddenly rushing out to greet him. The past of him battling it with the aid of Enkidu filled his brain, utterly shocking him with the gory, unbelievable details.


    Holy mothereffing cow. I.... I can''t fight that thing!! Not like this!!


    In the memories, Gilgamesh was at his peak, vastly more superior than Jack in every conceivable way. Yet, he nearly lost his life even with Enkidu helping him while fighting this massive monstrosity, the Guardian Beast of the Divine Trees, Humbaba.


    Just what chance Jack, alone, had?


    Right, the laser designator!!


    He hastily brought the laser from his back and pointed it at the guardian beast, Humbaba. But before he got to switch it on, the gigantic Guardian Beast roared loudly into the air, and the already-ruined battleground split apart further from the massive pressure emitted from the demonic beast. The vines all quaked, the soil and rocks blew away, and the hazy dust in the air got dispersed in an instant, revealing the starry night sky.


    Jack nearly lost the grip on the designator from the instinctual fear. It took a lot from him to remain standing but the incredible pressure, the choking killing intent oozing from the Beast, was really something else. It was beyond terrifying. He had felt absolutely nothing quite like it. And this was after taking into account how far away Jack was from the beast itself.


    Sh*t!! What now?! What can I do? Is that suppose to be its weakest? As if!! That thing is incredibly strong ¨C even with all of the Dead Kings here, we won''t be able to subdue that monster, let alone killing it!!


    The Guardian Beast finished howling and snorted. Licks of red flame flickered from its nostrils. Its eyes turned violet and a purplish golden aura materialized to cover the creature like a robe ¨C like a garment. Just like how it was described in the legends. It was thin, nearly imperceptible but Jack could sense a powerful undulation of energy coming off of it. This energy reminded Jack of that five-headed dragon monster he saw inside the red pyramid.


    Jack became even more convinced that he''d never be able to beat that thing. Not as he was now, not even after absorbing every red soul he could get his hands on and enhancing his specs to the absolute maximum. He had no hope in hell.


    Gritting his teeth, Jack decided to backtrack. To run away after coming so far felt like a betrayal of his own beliefs, but alone, he just couldn''t do it. He knew his own limits. He knew he wouldn''t be able to even leave a single scratch mark on that beast''s hide.


    Hell, he wasn''t sure whether the promised missile support would be enough to clinch a victory against that monster. Besides, Jack had a feeling that the monster wouldn''t stay put in one place for him to lazily point the laser at it.


    Weighing all his options, Jack decided to run. After that, though, he had no idea. He''d cross that bridge when he gets there, he thought inwardly.


    But the Guardian Beast Humbaba roared at Jack, the noise actually containing ancient Sumerian. It was directly addressing him.


    ¡°Oh, the foolish King of mortals, Gilgamesh, the favored son of lesser god Lugalbanda and goddess Ninsun, you who have sinned against the true divinity of Anunnaki, come and step forth into the cauldron of everlasting fire once more!! Come, come and fulfill your glorious fate, come and sate your desire to become the legend that you so proudly exclaim!!¡±


    The Sumerian words carried magical, unexplainable power hidden in them. The so-called holy language of the gods, when spoken to mere mortals by the Anunnaki and their divine servants, could affect the judgment of all who heard it. It was a powerful manipulation tool available to those who wished to control all of the mankind.


    Jack was fine, though. His status as Gilgamesh''s clone meant this magic had no effect on him.


    ¡°Come, share the fate of this world, as us Shepherds guide this planet back to the bosom of our Fathers and Mothers. Come, King of mortals, Gilgamesh, and be the cleansing sacrifice to receive the rightful rulers of humanity!!¡±


    Jack was about to simply ignore the Guardian Beast Humbaba''s words and run when a large caliber Depleted Uranium armor-piercing bullet flew past him. He watched the bullet''s path and followed it until it slammed against the purple-golden aura. A small hole appeared and the beast seemed to flinch a little.


    ¡°Who?!¡±


    Jack cast his Battle Sense behind him and could just about pick up a squad of soldiers rushing towards his position.


    They were led by Stewart Baxter from the front. He was still holding on to that large caliber anti-materiel sniper rifle. Stewart quickly swapped out the ammo magazine to another one and just as swiftly pulled the trigger again, all the while running at full steam, his aim remaining steady and true.


    Another large caliber bullet, this time shaped differently to regular bullets, shot past Jack and slammed into Humbaba. Each of these bullets, called Modified High-Explosive Anti-Tank rounds, could easily pierce the armor of a modern day tank. Its tungsten core would be propelled deep into any armor it struck against by utilizing controlled explosion within the bullet itself. And without a doubt, it was stupendously powerful, enough to wound the mythical monster regardless of how thick skinned it was.


    The Guardian Beast, enraged by the attack, roared mightily and cursed out aloud in Sumerian.


    ¡°Cowardly mortals!! Who dares to wound this divine servant of Enlil, the god of earth, wind and air?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I don''t know what you''re yapping about, so shut up already,¡± retorted Stewart as he fired off another round. By the third shot, he was almost next Jack''s position, their eyes meeting for the first time. Well, without the helmet in the way, of course.


    The shock and surprise in the faces of soldiers present were quite something. None of them expected Lugal to be this young. Stewart was almost speechless. But Jack shook his head pointed at the Guardian Beast in a hurry.


    ¡°Before you ask any questions, let''s deal with that thing first, shall we?¡±


    (I was supposed to upload this chapter yesterday, but got somewhat sidetracked after learning that Knight''s & Magic was finally on air. So I, uh, watched all three available episodes back to back and wasted all my free time just like that. My bad.)


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!! Well, it doesn''t have to be a lot..... even a single buck would be fine, you know.)

 Red Souls Chapter 26: The Third Proelium

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 26: The Third Proelium</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    The arrival of help in the form of a squad filled with Supers was unexpected but not unwelcome in any measure. Honestly, Jack thought he was all alone here on this dead island, especially after Vanguard had gone missing. Behind Sergeant Stewart Baxter, there were 8 other Supers capable of doing something great. Suddenly, Jack could feel hope rising in his heart. There might be a chance not only for the survival, but to complete this mission, too.


    He had no idea why these Project Dead Kings operators didn''t retreat along with the rest of the soldiers, but boy, was he glad or what that they didn''t do that. No need to ask for their reasons, either.


    Seeing the enraged Guardian Beast roaring in the distance, Stewart solemnly ordered his squad into position.


    ¡°Alright, we all know what to do. Mr. Lugal, please hand over the laser designator to Gunnery Sergeant here, he''ll take care of it. And what''s in that bag on the ground?¡±


    ¡°HMX. What Vanguard and I could scrounge up on the way.¡±


    Stewart nodded grimly while aiming the anti-materiel rifle at the snarling Guardian Beast. His expression wasn''t so good, which was the same for the operators under his command. The bullet wounds were healing quite rapidly as the purple robe shimmered over its body like the Northern Lights.


    The angry eyes of Humbaba turned towards them. The ugly creature gritted its teeth, fangs, whatever, and licks of flame billowed out menacingly like the overflowing magma. It swung the metal club like a baseball pitcher and began to take large strides. The ground visibly shook under the enormous creature''s angry stomps.


    ¡°Damn, I hit it with two Modified HEAT rounds back to back and it still moves around? This might get ugly. Okay, Gunney, take the backpack with you. Chuck, you said that ULF transmitter is still functional. Time to make it count, man.¡±


    The Gunnery Sergeant, a fresh-faced teen with a swimmer''s physique, quickly moved, taking the laser designator from Jack and retrieving the HMX. The Super named Chuck went with him, both of them disappearing into the haze fast and efficiently. Their destination was somewhere high up to give them a good vantage point to paint the target with the laser.


    Stewart was not done with his quick-fire orders, though.


    ¡°Okay, Leroy. You take the fireteam 2 and flank this SOB from the West. Lopez, you''re with him. The rest, on me. Lugal, you too.¡±


    The 7 men squad split into two. The guy named Leroy was a short, stocky youth with a boxer''s chin. Besides the semi-auto rifle, he held numerous grenades all over his combat gear. He went with Lopez, the Latin girl, and two others, and headed into the haze. Stewart led the remaining three and Jack and approached the angry Guardian Beast.


    Stewart and his men felt tired and scared but gritted their teeth, still fully committed to the mission. On their way here, they were engaged in a brutal battle with an ocean of metal golems. They faced countless dangerous situations. They were pushed to the brink.


    But then, just like magic, the damnable things just suddenly disappeared. The squad''s forward march was no longer hindered. Not only that, they faced no more opposition while collecting equipment off fallen soldiers. Ammo, rations, intact radio including ULF transmitters ¨C all recovered on their way.


    It was a stroke of good fortune finding the transmitter, Stewart reasoned. Maybe the heavens were looking after them, opening a path for them or something.


    ¡°Where''s Nico Gavalas and Vanguard?¡±


    Stewart asked as he quickly scanned the battlefield, not seeing any usable cover for himself or his men. He wasn''t sure whether any of that could be helpful, but it didn''t hurt to look for them in advance.


    ¡°Nico''s dead and Vanguard is missing,¡± replied Jack.


    Stewart nodded in understanding and said nothing further.


    Jack expanded his Battle Sense towards Humbaba, trying to get an in-depth reading of the creature. He was too scared and unnerved to do this before but hell, better late than never.


    The moment the redoubtable Battle Sense touched Humbaba, Jack was nearly overcome with a deathly chill. He was utterly shocked to sense not a being made up of tangible, solid matter, but entirely consisting of wailing, screaming souls. Realizing this, his heart began to pound madly, his primal instincts telling him to run as far as he could. This monster was beyond the scope of human understanding. Its composition was beyond supernatural. It was truly a divine beast, crafted by beings occupying a completely different, much higher realms.


    He forcibly ignored the desire to run. He had to. Even if he could, where could he possibly go? Rationally speaking, he was on an island and there was only a finite amount of land mass he could run on. Besides, this thing wasn''t going to just let him leave. No, the irreconcilable enmity had been created already. This in-coming battle was to the death. Jack had no choice but to fight and believe in the lethality of the modern military technology to deal the final strike.


    A gamble of a lifetime, in other words. With his life on the line.


    Just as he was telling himself he had to fight, the Battle Sense was repelled by that purple robe, the garment or whatever, of light. That was it, Jack couldn''t pry anymore. The brief glimpse into the physiology of the monster was too short for any insightful information, but it sure was just enough to seriously spook him. The worries of failing to injure the Beast entered his mind, only to quickly go away when he remembered that Stewart''s bullets managed to harm it, albeit not fatally.


    Rearranging his thoughts, Jack gripped his halberd tightly, and searched through his memories. He may not be as powerful as Gilgamesh back then, but he could call on the knowledge of the battles and suss out the correct way of surviving this crisis.


    ¡°How long will the jets take to reach us?¡± Asked Jack.


    ¡°Depends on a couple of factors, but it''s an Alert 7 situation, so between five to eight minutes,¡± replied Stewart.


    Jack shook his head wryly. That long, huh.


    An Alert 7 was a code word describing the level of combat readiness for a group of persons, in this case, Navy crewmen. Lower the number, higher the state of alertness was. Usually, when in the Alert 7 phase the pilots and their jets were already loaded onto the catapult launchers aboard the aircraft carriers, ready to launch within a couple of minutes as soon as the word came through. Chuck was going to send that very word within seconds, so taking into account the flight time, Stewart''s estimates were pretty accurate.


    ¡°Don''t attack the legs. It''s not going to work. Concentrate on taking the weapon away ¨C that thing connects the Guardian Beast to the Tree''s endless supply of vitality. As long as Humbaba continues to hold that metal club, we''ll all die within minutes.¡±


    With those words spoken aloud, Jack dashed forward. He deliberately did not use his full speed. He wasn''t trying to kill it with everything he got, but to waste time and drag the battle on as long as possible.


    Humbaba, unaware of the schemes cooked up by the lowly humans, roughly ran to meet Jack''s approach in the middle. The ground and the vines quaked under the heavy footsteps, the world seemingly shaking like a leaf caught in a tempest. The giant creature swung that massive club without a single shred of hesitation.


    Jack used his versatile Battle Sense to accurately perceive the path of the club. His pupils contracted, inwardly thinking how such a huge thing could move that fast. Of course, he thought that while dodging to his right as if his life depended on it. Incidentally, it did.


    It was a correct call. Humbaba was holding the club in its right limb, so in order to follow him, the creature had to turn to its left and thereby exposing the arm that held the weapon.


    This created an ample enough target for the operators of the Project. And they weren''t going to miss this chance.


    ¡°Fire!!¡±


    Stewart ordered in his loudest voice.


    Then the riot of fireworks began; bullets, fireballs, arrows of light, columns of water and raging winds slammed into the unguarded arm of the Beast with the kind of force that would severely wound even Gilgamesh were he to face it head on.


    More importantly, this deadly storm wasn''t some random, aimless spread one might have seen from a cheap action movie either. The attacks were unceasingly accurate and they were focused on one area of Humbaba.


    Among the explosions of color and heat, fresh blood spilled to the ground. The Guardian Beast frowned unhappily and roared in anger, evidently not too badly affected by the barrage of attacks. It turned its attention to the fireteam responsible for its ire, only to receive yet another from the West, again distracting it. Leroy''s team was doing its job taking turns to distract the Beast splendidly.


    Seizing upon this brief window of distraction, Stewart loaded his AM rifle and fired another round, this time aimed at the eyes of Humbaba. With his powers, The Perfect Aim, there was no way he''d miss from this range. In him, flowed the blood of Howard Hill, one of the most decorated archers of the modern times. With this power, Stewart could hit a penny from a hundred yards out with a pistol, so hitting the big, intimidating eyes of the Guardian Beast with a highly precise weapon like anti-materiel rifle was too damn easy.


    The Modified HEAT round hit the right eye and exploded, causing the neck of the monster to snap back from the impact. More blood danced in the air.


    Jack saw a very good opening here and dashed back near the creature before it could recover. He swung the halberd hard and struck the metal club with everything he had. The resulting sound was as clear and crisp as a ringing church bell but a thousand times louder.


    The halberd issued creaking noise as it bent under the pressure. Jack''s brows tightened as he pushed, intending on blowing the metal club into the sky.


    Humbaba''s left hand was covering its face, but it still could see Jack via its left eye. The monster snorted angrily and resisted, instead pushing Jack back with its awesome physical power. In the end, he lost in the game of strength and was shoved back, his body lifting up slightly into the air as he hastily retreated. The halberd regained its former shape, but he noted that the edges were damaged slightly.


    What fearsome power!!


    Jack gritted his teeth in exasperation. Humbaba was supposedly at its weakest, yet it was this strong? He expected the level of difficulty to an extent, but Jack had caught his opponent off guard. His attack should have at least make it flinch. Not only it didn''t do that, Humbaba was able to force him away quite easily.


    Jack took some distance away from the monster skipping on the ground like a gazelle and quickly regained his posture.


    Stewart was about to give another order when a garbled transmission from Chuck came through. The message to the destroyer off the coast had been delivered and the target was lit up with laser like a Christmas tree. The help was coming. All they had to do was to hold out for a little longer.


    ¡°Five more minutes!!¡± Stewart barked out at his men and wielded his large caliber sniper rifle. He squeezed the trigger and with a huge recoil, the bullet exploded out of the lengthy barrel and struck the wrist of Humbaba. The damage was far greater this time and the creature winced. The grip on the weapon loosened significantly and taking this opening, Jack rapidly closed the gap. Humbaba''s right eye hadn''t recovered yet so while its attention was robbed away, this was as good an opportunity as any to knock that metal club out of its grasp and thereby severing the connection it had with the Tree.


    The Guardian Beast was seemingly a step slower in responding to the unfolding event. Jack''s halberd struck the weapon at an angle and there was the sensation of the movement he was looking for. The metal club was shoved out of Humbaba''s grasp and definitely beyond its reach.


    The elated look on Jack''s face lasted for half a second before crumbling apart in a spectacularly painful fashion. Humbaba reached out with its other hand at a speed he couldn''t even trace and the creature nimbly grabbed the club. And before Jack could say, ¡°oh sh*t,¡± it swung the massive weapon down.


    Jack was able to offset some of the impact by placing his halberd near his torso and angling it. But in all honesty, that could only negate probably less than 20% of the immense force behind the monster''s strike.


    He felt the kind of pain he had experienced only once before, back at the highway R-35 Northbound. No, this one seemed several times greater. The pain he felt when the bus exploded and shoved him right through the side of a delivery van, the pain of his entire being dying, the pain of watching everyone he knew burning away ¨C this one surpassed them all.


    Jack''s innards tumbled viciously. He threw up a huge mouthful of blood as his helpless body slammed against a protruding piece of earth, smashing it apart. The momentum didn''t slow down and he kept on flying, hitting the metal vine. Incredibly, the vine split in half showering the air with the sticky blue liquid and a million bits of sheared metal. Jack continued to fly even after that, until finally, he was flung out of the Central Park altogether and landed on the ruined remains of a tall skyscraper across the street.


    The impact was so brilliantly harsh and tremendous, the section of the unstable building collapsed, creating massive billowing plumes of dust. Jack tumbled within the fragile but heavy debris until the momentum of the hit finally weakened and he could stop his body from sliding and colliding with other surrounding objects.


    He then spat out another huge chunk of blood mixed with bits of flesh on the ground. Coughing from the choking dust and sharp, unceasing pain, Jack tried to get up but his entire body shook from the shock, refusing to heed his commands. It felt like every single bone in his body was either broken or shattered. He simply remained slumped, propped up by the wall of the building.


    But even then, the gravity brought him down. He fell limply over on the ground, unable to breathe. He forcibly rolled on to his back, staring into the night sky above visible via the gaps in the building''s floors and ceilings. Jack was stunned into a total silence from the impact.


    He couldn''t really figure out what just happened. No, he remembered just fine how he ended up in this sorry state. But what he couldn''t really understand was where he had made the critical mistake.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Did I underestimate Humbaba?! But that''s not possible. I.... I know better than anyone how terrifying that thing is. No, I didn''t....


    No. I did. I thought it was doable with my current powers. My current abilities because I had backup. I thought it was possible to kill the monster. I.... I was conceited.


    I mean, it just switched its hand from right to left. It''s something so damn simple. How the hell did I overlook something like that? How did my Battle Sense fail me so badly?


    Jack grimaced as the pain wracked his chest. He was sure that his internal organs were all badly damaged. There was little doubt that he was dying. And only from getting struck once. Just one time, and all his red soul enhancements and the Kevlar survival suit and whatnots couldn''t protect him.


    Jack didn''t even have any strength left to laugh at this absurd situation. No wonder his instincts were telling him to run. His body continued to tremble in coldness, getting harder and harder to breathe. The only thing still functioning properly was his mind, more or less, and his Battle Sense.


    Now, in this moment where his life was tottering on the very edge, the endlessly useful ability seemed to stretch as far as humanly possible. Jack found himself seeing into the far distance, past the obstructions and the dusty haze. What he saw was the desperate battle between the Dead Kings operators and the Guardian Beast.


    It was only a single blink, a proverbial ¡°less than a second¡± gap of time, yet the situation had deteriorated beyond saving. With Jack violently ejected from the battle ground, the mere augmented Supers couldn''t do much against the force of nature that was Humbaba.


    Bullets were flying, several Superpowers were attacking the monster, yet it withstood everything, like a passerby brushing off the biting ants on his shoe.


    Jack''s Battle Sense picked out the supposedly invisible laser still tagging the Guardian Beast but the promised missile strike was still nowhere to be seen. No, it was far too early. But at this rate, it wouldn''t even matter anymore.


    Humbaba swung the metal club. The ground where it hit exploded. Bodies of the soldiers flew to all directions. More blood and mangled limbs showered the land red.


    Separated fireteams converged on a single point to increase the lethality but that only meant the monster didn''t have to waste its energy chasing around the irritating queries around.


    Leroy''s myriad of grenades danced in the air, expertly controlled and manipulated by his Superpower, their explosive powers solely focused at harming Humbaba. The dozens of explosions and flames seemed to swallow up the beast but the result was the same as before. Nothing worked for long; its wounds, deep or superficial, all closed up fast as the purplish garment did something magical. The bleeding stopped and the monster was back to its healthy state.


    It was.... hopeless.


    Jack felt his body go numb. This sensation was quite similar to him. It was just over a month ago that he was subjected to the very same thing. He felt eminently familiar with it, as if this feeling of death was an old friend coming to visit him.


    Of course, Jack didn''t want to die. Not yet. He hadn''t achieved his goals yet. Everything he did, all the hard work he put in, he couldn''t afford to waste them, see them become just as meaningless as the sacrifices of the soldiers this night.


    He couldn''t bear to see his second chance fade away like this.


    Jack, in his desperation, asked for a power and had miraculously received it. Yet, in the end, he was proven to be still powerless and weak to do anything substantial. In the grand scheme of things, he was still.... nothing. His powers, whether it was given to him by Gilgamesh, his mother, Mylorne Akkad ¨C or awoken by pure stroke of unlikely luck, amounted to so little that he was laying here, in his own pool of blood, dying a slow, agonizing death.


    How unfair was this? The fate forced him to act even though he wanted nothing to do with it. And now, he was getting crushed under the immense weight of the fate''s cruel manipulation.


    The faces of his family flashed by. His mother, his father, his sister. His grandparents, the uncles and aunts ¨C all moving past like a revolving lantern display. Jack knew that he should''ve called them. He wanted to ask Min-jung and Bob and Dana about so many things, but at this rate....


    Then, it was the faces of his friends. Nick, who was still lying in the bed comatose. Sue and her crying face. Nick''s parents, trying to stay strong but failing. The faces belonging to the parents of his dead classmates. All crying, lamenting, cursing, praying.


    Jack felt beyond pissed off. His anger began to boil hard, even more incensed than ever before. Even more than on that day, on that piece of melting tarmac.


    He remembered his sworn oath, that he''d get revenge no matter what. But he was faltering. He just couldn''t do it. How pathetic is this, he angrily muttered. He didn''t want to accept it. No, he refused to accept it. His expression twisted in the uncontrollable rage as this thick, dark emotion seethed and coiled like a blood-red Eastern dragon, a snake purely made out of resentment and anguish.


    The exploding rage clouded his judgment. His Battle Sense quaked and went through an imperceptible change. Jack failed to notice as his anger took over everything.


    Now transformed, Battle Sense began to physically materialize in the real world. The gray and drab world filled with dust brightened in the crimson light show. Arcs of red lightning-like sparks buzzed and whirred around him. Jack''s body was surrounded by this lightning storm, lifting him up from the ground where he lay.


    The torn, collapsing building cocooning Jack until now lit up in bright red, and as the squall of blood-hued wind rose, the concrete and bricks and metal snapped. The arcing red energy disintegrated the falling debris, not even leaving behind specks of dust. Before long, Jack was standing on the spot where he was dying, the ruined building completely disintegrating into tiny little molecules.


    In the skies above, the atmosphere slowly cracked apart and the world that was not of this one appeared. There, the night sky was filled with gloomy red clouds, fast moving as if they were on crack cocaine. What was bizarre was that there was a single black feather floating near these red clouds, slowly descending and entering the physical world.


    Humbaba felt the change first. It stopped squeezing the life out of a Dead Kings operator trapped in its considerable hand and stared dumbfoundedly at the sky. Soon, its expression became cold and hard, an intangible fear creeping in.


    ¡°This is.... could it be....? Is Gilgamesh.... breaking the Cursed Shackles on his own? No, that feather ¨C that is undoubtedly.....¡±


    Humbaba''s expression turned seriously hard. Its eyes quickly scanned the battlefield to find out where Jack was.


    Meanwhile, surrounded by the arcing sparks of red light, Jack''s anger-infused Battle Sense raged inside his body and miraculously, every single red soul stored inside his Soul Sphere was drawn out. He watched with crazed eyes as souls poured all over his body like a red waterfall, restoring the numerous fatal wounds in an instant.


    And when all his injuries were just about completely healed up, Humbaba dashed out from the swirling dust and landed with a heavy thud before Jack.


    ¡°Gilgamesh, you foolish mortal, do you wish to destroy both this world and the Divine Realm? Cease this stubbornness immediately!!¡±


    Jack didn''t know what this monster was talking about, nor did he give a crap. His eyes burned in the crimson color. The leftover souls circled around him like the winds of a category 5 tornado.


    Seeing this change, Humbaba''s face became even colder.


    ¡°Know your place!!¡±


    It roared loudly and pounced at Jack, ready to pummel him into the ground with the huge metal club.


    In that moment, in that millisecond, the red soul tornado rapidly condensed into a single object ¨C a spear. A blood-red crimson spear. Jack''s eyes fell on this weapon made of souls, and he firmly grasped it. He didn''t know what it was, and again, he didn''t care. He just wanted to slay this damnable creature that made him feel like a weakling, a failure, a total waste of time and a liar who couldn''t even keep his word.


    He threw the spear, aimed at Humbaba''s core, its heart, where that damn stone tablet was.


    Because of the momentum, Humbaba could not dodge this. And because of the attack it performed while pouncing on Jack, it couldn''t block the spear either. It could only helplessly watch as the red soul spear slammed into its chest, ripping out huge chunks of meat, scattering the souls trapped in the stone tablet. The purple garment was ripped apart as well, dissipating into the night sky.


    Roaring in pain, it was now the turn of Humbaba to feel what it was like to be thrown away. It flew backwards and crashed loudly only a few yards from where it was busy killing the augmented Supers. A large crater was formed where its huge body landed, and the ground exploded with the sharp bits of broken earth, rock and metal. Even the metal vines danced in the air from the sheer, brutal weight of the impact.


    Most of Humbaba''s chest was ripped away, revealing the stone tablet that was gleaming in golden-purple hue. But now, there were several thick cracks visible on the surface. Jack''s aim wasn''t quite good enough and could only graze the surface of the core, the stone tablet.


    Humbaba grimaced angrily as it forced the torn, destroyed body to stand. The purple garment slowly wrapped around the creature and the huge wound was starting to close up by itself.


    The reason was simple ¨C the metal club was still within its grasp. As long as it held that, the near-limitless vitality of the Tree of the End would heal all of its wounds.


    Jack, on the other hand, fell on one knee, out of breath. The arcs of red light no longer surrounded him. His own injuries were healed, but that didn''t mean his stamina was restored. In that final attack, he had emptied his Soul Sphere, putting every fiber of his being into it.


    In other words, he was pooped out from the overexertion.


    Humbaba laughed. It was the distinctive laughter of a victor.


    Too bad, there was a pair of soldiers hiding by the top of a metal vine, lying on their stomachs and watching everything that had unfolded with bloodshot and angry eyes. One of them was holding the laser designator.


    And.... there was an eerie silence, a calm before the storm. Then, from a distance, a throaty whistle in the sky, reverberating between the collapsing buildings of the Manhattan. Humbaba cocked an ear, trying to figure out what was going on.


    And by the time he caught the thin whistling sound in the air, it was too late. A white BGM-109 cruise missile, otherwise known as the Tomahawk, slammed into the open chest of Humbaba where the stone tablet was still exposed. And then the second Tomahawk hit the target less than a breath later.


    The resulting explosions were incredible. The orange and black mushroom cloud rose high up in the air and the countless debris fell all over the landscape like lethal drops of rainfall. Even Jack could acutely feel the awesome and terrible heat while he was so far away. Each of the missile strikes was more powerful than Jack''s own red soul spear thrust, which was already quite something else in itself.


    When the massive dust storm finally cleared, all those surviving could clearly see Humbaba''s upper torso had been torn apart, and there was basically nothing left other than the stone tablet and its lower limbs. Even the tablet was beginning to crumble apart. The huge metal club was no longer held by it, having been blown away from the monster''s tight grasp by the massive explosion. If it wanted to recover, it''d take a very, very long time.


    Jack''s eyes sharpened. Humbaba hadn''t died yet but if he could somehow land one more blow, then it''d be game over. He just knew it.


    The boiling rage hadn''t been appeased in his heart. No, he was still angry. And now, a perfect opportunity had presented itself. How could he miss this chance?


    Jack''s Battle Sense exploded out one more time, allowing him to find the missing halberd somewhere near him. He willed his tired, spent body to move. Picking the heavy weapon, Jack ran as fast as he could and arrived at Humbaba''s exposed core, the stone tablet.


    With a primal roar, Jack swung the polearm hard.


    The blade of the weapon collided with the garment of purple light first. Somehow, this accursed protective energy barrier kept on coming back regardless of how severe the impact was, managing to save the monster every time, but not today. The purple light shattered into pieces as Jack''s meaty halberd slammed into this energy barrier.


    The shattering remnant of the garment couldn''t halt the desperate momentum of the halberd and it magnificently collided with the tablet. The numerous cracks widened and with a screeching, keening sound, the tablet powerfully exploded, shoving Jack away. His expression twisted from the pain, but the corners of his lips curved upwards in a vicious, victorious grin.


    Humbaba, even though no longer possessing a mouth, issued a painful, sorrowful roar. It''s remaining body slowly disintegrated along with the tablet which turned into sand. A sudden strong wind kicked up from out of nowhere and the sand blew away, but not before the defeated monster had its final say.


    ¡°This is not over, the King of Mortals!! As long as the Tree of the End stands, I shall be resurrected and the true divinity shall return to this planet!!¡±


    ¡°Oh, just shut the hell up,¡± groaned Jack as he wiped the trace of blood from his lips.


    By the time the harsh winds stopped blowing, Humbaba was gone without a trace. Now, only the solitary Tree of the End stood below the broken sky filled with ominous red clouds. The black feather remained floating in the air, unmoved by the events on the ground.


    Jack instinctively looked up and watched as the feather fell on his palm. It then directly entered his Soul Sphere. He didn''t feel anything when this happened. Nothing felt odd or out of place. Rather, this feather made him feel safe. His anger cooled rapidly because of the calming effect.


    What Humbaba had said remained as a puzzle in his mind, but for now, Jack would not pay it any mind. He still had to bring this Tree down.


    He rubbed his chest, checking to make sure nothing ached or hurt. He was fine. Completely fine, other than feeling exhausted and fatigued. He nodded slightly, somewhat thankful that red souls came out all on their own to help him in this dire time of need. Then it dawned on him.


    Oh, wait a second. Did I just....?!


    Jack paled after realizing what he had done. He had used up all his reserves of souls. Meaning, he used up the souls of his classmates. He had never touched them because.... it just didn''t feel right to him. And now, they were all used up. And that included Emily''s soul, too.


    He froze from the realization. Then a dark, wretched emptiness swept him up. The ones he made the promise to, with the exception of Nick, were gone. Every single one of them. And now he wouldn''t even be able to see Emily''s face anymore. Didn''t matter that they were all in a state of screaming agony ¨C they were with him. But not anymore.


    Jack held his head as the feeling of sadness welled up in him, tears forming at the edges of his eyes. In his melancholic loneliness, he failed to notice other presences approaching him.


    If it weren''t for the unbelieving, celebratory voices, he''d remain oblivious to it all.


    ¡°Lugal!! You did it!!¡±


    Stewart Baxter cried out heartily as he shouldered heavily wounded Leroy.


    Jack wiped the tears off his face and faced the group of survivors before him. Needlessly to say, all of them looked pretty terrible. Their once pristine, fancy combat gear were in tatters; Stewart''s prized AM rifle bent in a bad way. Numerous cuts and bruises, bleeding all over. Leroy had his right arm twisted the wrong way. Looked bad. Real bad.


    Out of the squad of nine men and women, only five had survived, counting the two that manned the laser and the ULF transmitter. Lopez, Chuck, Leroy, the unnamed Gunnery Sergeant and Stewart; the five.


    Lopez looked at the remaining members of the squad, the people she grew up with, and couldn''t help but grin bitterly at the cost of this mission. Her dead friends and comrades'' bodies turned to dust from the Tomahawk strikes and she couldn''t even give them a proper funeral.


    Jack and the operators exchanged silent glances, not sure of what to say under the circumstances. One of the topics that floated on top of Stewart''s mind was the unexpected Tomahawk cruise missile strikes but he quickly shelved it. Regardless of what prompted the change, the job was done already, so for now, it couldn''t be helped. What was done, was done.


    Truth was, the missiles were supposed to be fired from the passing fighter jets. Their powers wouldn''t be as great, but the dangers to them were lower, ensuring the higher level of their survivability. Yet it ended up being a pair of cruise missiles, one of the most powerful of its kind, ending this battle. Not one person here was told of this change. Not one here could imagine that the retreating soldiers made a hasty, terrified report of the monumental magnitude of the challenge at hand and it influenced the decision making process at the command center.


    Taking a deep breath to calm his conflicted mind, Jack exhaled slightly before asking out aloud.


    ¡°Well, let''s celebrate later. It''s not over yet. We still need to get rid of the Tree''s core. Do we have the necessary HMX to do it?¡±


    Stewart nodded, pointing at the man next to him, specifically at his backpack. ¡°We still have enough to blow up a f*cking building. Let''s finish this.¡±


    (Howard Hill bio, courtesy of Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Hill</a>)


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!! Well, it doesn''t have to be a lot..... even a single buck would be fine, you know.)

 Red Souls Chapter 27: The Core

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 27: The Core</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    The declaration of their intent was made and the six remaining, breathing men and a woman stared at the endlessly tall Tree of the End. Beyond it, the ethereal, otherworldly red sky was slowly fading away into the darkness of the starry backdrop. Somehow, there was still countless motes of floating light remaining that weren''t sucked up into the ¡°creation¡± of Humbaba, and they were busy casting an eerie rainbow of colors on the smooth, metallic surface of the Tree. Jack found it all rather.... beautiful.


    Of course, it wasn''t something to admire about. Not at all. The cost of establishing such an otherworldly beauty was far too great, far too painful to justify.


    What the hell am I even thinking about?!


    Jack wryly shook his head and got rid of the distracting thoughts before he turned his attention to the fading red sky. He didn''t know what it was but a nagging feeling at the back of his mind told him he''d see that sky again. And as for that mysterious black feather in the Soul Sphere....


    There were just too many mysteries with no answers. Well, the answers were locked within the deepest recesses of his mind but accessing them was something else entirely. But that nagging feeling also told him that it was not a matter to be concerned about, at least not yet.


    Right now, the matter of the Tree had to come first and foremost. He also reminded himself to call his family the very first thing after the completion of this damned mission.


    The people present felt the two distinct hums alternating between each other. One of them was more akin to a dense, heavy signal wave, kind of like how a big bell might make the ringer feel while the other hum was much closer to that of a heartbeat. There was little doubt that both of these strange hums were originating from somewhere within the Tree.


    While Stewart and Chuck attended to Leroy''s wounded arm, the surviving Dead Kings operators took a quick survey of the vicinity while collecting the dog tags of their fallen comrades. The cruise missile strikes really did a horrendous number on the remains and one of the tags were so badly scorched and melted out of shape, it was impossible to tell what was engraved on it. But the operators knew who it belonged to; it''d find the right casket when the time for the funeral comes around.


    After the collection, the situation was assessed. It was clear that there were no golems anymore. Not one could be spotted, let alone try to attack them. It could mean something good, or maybe something even worse was coming the operators'' way.


    Jack searched for his discarded helmet, and was amazed to find it in one complete piece. Other than the blood caking it inside the visor, it was fully operational. Just quite how it survived so many potential calamities, such as the rampaging Humbaba and the pair of Tomahawks, he could only thank the lucky star.


    Speaking of which, even the enhanced survival suit was intact even after the walloping it received from the Guardian Beast. Sure was living up to its name of the ¡°survival¡± suit, indeed.


    After wiping the blood off with what he had at hand, he put it back on and immediately picked up on the salty iron scent. It smelled like death. He frowned at this reminder of his brush with meeting the maker. He didn''t care for it not one bit. Too late to take the helmet off now, he mused. There was a function to ventilate the helmet within the PDA so he activated that, letting some of the air enter and lessen the stench for now.


    Next action to perform: checking the state of the suit via the aforementioned PDA. Miraculously, it was still functioning, this arm mounted computer. Must''ve been Gilgamesh''s will and his wonderfully absurd enhancements. Jack was thankful for that, too.


    Once he saw that the suit was fine, he searched for the halberd. Of course, it was in a rough, rough shape. Supposedly made of the strongest, toughest alloy currently made by men ¨C and it got nearly ruined to nothingness in the battle against the Guardian Beast. At least he still had that emergency baton, tucked up snugly in the compartment on his back. If push came to shove, he''d have to make do with that.


    He was still tired and all his muscles ached from overexertion. But what could he do? Tired or not, he was the strongest combatant here, physically. Well, Stewart and his pals would live through the night without Jack, that was for sure, but it''d be a lot harder.


    If it were him a month ago, he''d want to lay down and go to sleep, not giving a damn about anything. But now, though, he was committed to seeing through this mission until the end. His tiredness could wait. He was already so close to the finishing line. All he had to do was just cross it.


    Jack wanted to look for Vanguard too, but couldn''t see him anywhere. The burly Super was gone. Either he was vaporized in the missile strike or he went home. That was the only explanation. Or maybe he was taken. No one knew. Even if he was knocked out cold somewhere, his big frame should have been spotted by now. It was another mystery Jack couldn''t solve, to his frustration. Even though he was concerned, he also understood that Vanguard had been around the block a way longer than he did. Crucially, the Superhero wasn''t some weedy little weakling noob. He wouldn''t die that easily. He''d be found eventually when all was said and done, or so Jack thought.


    Additionally, he thought this whole thing was just a mess. This whole mission was ripe with mistakes from the start. Too little information, too many cooks vying for a slice, too little prep time ¨C and so many lives lost as a result. The time may not have been on the side of the good guys but still, that shouldn''t be an excuse.


    Jack shook his head one more time. The fatigue was making it difficult to stay positive. He gritted his teeth, telling himself to endure and finish this so he could go home.


    One good thing out of Humbaba defeated, was that there seemed to slightly less chaotic aura swirling in the air. It felt less stifling and oppressive than before. Although, that could be down to nothing more than the sense of relief acting up.


    Stewart tried to contact the command center but now, even the ULF transmission was being blocked by the strange interference. He chose not to discard the transmitter, though. Seemed sensible to keep the best method of communication close by, he reasoned.


    ¡°So? Are we good to go?¡±


    Jack asked Stewart who was organizing his remaining squad members and his gear.


    ¡°Just about. How''s the search on your end?¡±


    Jack shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Vanguard is nowhere. Gone. What about your men?¡±


    ¡°Well, Leroy''s hurt pretty bad, but he wants to come along. I can''t leave him behind alone anyway, so it''s not a problem.¡±


    ¡°So, you''re bringing him along?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. He can be the rear guard with Chuck carrying him in the back.¡±


    Jack glanced at Chuck. He was the tall lanky white kid. Also, he looked thin. Could someone like that carry a person? Jack inwardly shook his head, thinking that he shouldn''t really judge a Super by his or her looks ¨C for instance, Cleo was a monster but you wouldn''t be able to tell that judging by her appearances alone.


    ¡°Okay, so this is our new formation. Lugal, you take point with Lopez. Gunney and I are in the middle. Chuck and Leroy will watch our six. All good?¡±


    They all shared a brief nod before turning their collective sights towards the tall and ominous Tree, and its base where the entrance to the Core was.


    The entrance to the chamber housing the Tree''s core was actually a tunnel of sorts located on the base, accessible only after climbing up one of the huge metal vines. Clearly, it''d be a hassle to go up there without proper equipment. And add to the fact that the surfaces of the vines were smooth to a fault, the operators were faced with a unique and altogether not so nice challenge.


    Jack was not troubled, though, as he could just leap up and get on top no problem. It was then decided by consensus that he''d play the role of an anchor while the rest of the squad climbed up. Gunnery Sergeant and Chuck already had their own ropes so they climbed just fine but injured Leroy was problematic as he couldn''t fully support his own weight with the broken arm.


    But most of the issues could be solved with brute strength as Jack simply carried the injured soldier on his back. He thought that Leroy had this unhappy face, probably due to having his pride as a man and a Super somewhat stepped on but of course, Jack couldn''t care any less even if he tried. Not right now, anyway.


    They stayed alert and cautious while approaching the Tree. Not one threatening thing popped out but it would be foolish to take easy because of that.


    Arriving at the entrance of the tunnel, Jack noted its scale. It was big enough to allow something as big as Humbaba to freely enter at will. He couldn''t quite figure out why one needed to be this large, but it''d be a lie to say if he didn''t suspect one or two things as the cause.


    Both of the mysterious hums were louder here. However, there was another sound mixed in, distinctly audible as they stood in front of the imposing tunnel. The squad members exchanged confused glances around as one by one, they began to figure out what this new sound reminded them of.


    ¡°Huh. Looks like there''s a.... destructive party going on inside. Should we go in and check out?¡±


    Stewart murmured to his squad before hefting the assault rifle forward. He didn''t really wait for the replies and signaled his charge towards the tunnel without a shred of fear.


    Jack too entered, standing in front of the formation with the Latino girl, Lopez. She took a glance at his way every now and then, but Jack was used to it by now so he didn''t mind it. He did mind his damaged halberd, though. If there was to be a vigorous battle down the tunnel, he had to reign his physical strength and try not to snap the weapon in half ¨C after all, he was only renting it from Mylorne Akkad and he needed to give it back later.


    The sound of destruction echoed louder once stepping inside the tunnel. Jack studied the walls, thinking that the exposed surface was as smooth as the vines and the trunk. Didn''t seem like it was formed naturally at all. At a whim, he tried to extend his Battle Sense over it, but he got nothing. He could tell his senses were being repelled by some sort of stronger power. As he was now, he couldn''t overcome this influence and take a peek.


    Inside of the tunnel was suitably dark. The operators had to switch on the various light sources at their disposal but Jack only had to activate the night vision built into the helmet. Occasionally there were one or two motes of light lazily floating by but they weren''t bright enough for the smooth traversing.


    As they carefully jogged forward, Jack noticed in the distance a thin golden film hanging over the tunnel like a curtain. Lopez didn''t seem to see it, so he hurriedly stopped them marching and told them there was something up ahead.


    Jack approached it first and using the halberd, he slowly poked at it. The weapon went past it with no resistance and nothing happened. A couple more pokings later, Jack turned to Stewart and asked.


    ¡°Well, what do you think? It doesn''t seem to do anything but it''s still an unknown obstruction.¡±


    Stewart chewed on the decision briefly. There was only one tunnel leading into the chamber housing the Core, most likely. He could be wrong, but to go outside and search for another could take time. Plus, there was something else happening near the destination and he had no idea what that was. Could he risk his men and rush on ahead? With Lugal here, they could potentially overcome most obstacles, but he wanted to be on the safe side.


    There was the possibility of finding another entrance only to encounter the same golden film as the one Lugal had perceived, so there was that.


    He couldn''t deliberate for long, as the sound of destruction shook the tunnel noisily, reminding him to get a move on.


    Stewart frowned a little but made up his mind. ¡°Okay, let''s go. If it''s a trap, let''s break out of it. We can do that much, surely.¡±


    One by one, they stepped past the film. Jack was the first to cross it, followed by Lopez, then the rest. Jack''s Battle Sense felt a slight trembling of the atmosphere but other than that, he couldn''t feel anything different.


    Jack held a deeply unhappy expression. He thought the Battle Sense was an all-conquering cheat skill but hell, it had some severe restrictions, it seemed. He swore to develop this skill once he had some free time on his hands.


    Past the film, even the motes of lights were gone, leaving the tunnel in complete darkness, were it not for the flash lights mounted on the combat armors and the assault rifles and the combat helmets of the operators. The static buzzing coming from the radios became heavier and distracting the further they progressed. Even the ULF transmitter was totally inoperable here.


    Before they knew it, the smoothness of the walls gave way to the one that felt more organic in structure. There were creases and folds on the surfaces that reminded Jack of an insect''s carapace, or maybe even that of a worm. It made him feel like he was walking inside a digestive tract of a giant.


    The sound of things breaking apart and destroyed became louder. Stewart gave a hand signal and the operators smoothly flowed forward at a faster rate. Jack wasn''t too clued up on various hand gestures used by the soldiers but even he recognized the ¡°go forward¡± signal so he also hurried in, all the while trying to extend the Battle Sense as far as possible.


    So far, the range seemed interchangeable ¨C either he fixated on a target disregarding the distance almost entirely, or not much beyond 15 feet around him. He had to be satisfied with this for now.


    Around 100 paces, the squad finally encountered a huge open chamber that was probably as big as an aircraft hangar, maybe even bigger. There were a plenty of light motes floating around in here, no longer necessitating the group to rely on their own light sources.


    And inside of this massive chamber, the very first thing they noticed was a huge creature which the size didn''t lose out to Humbaba from earlier. Except, this time it was purely made up of the metal alloy, just like the golems outside. Actually, on a closer look, the metal golem definitely resembled Humbaba, what with its long, ape-like limbs and the way it jumped around. The only difference was the lack of the metal club or the signs of intelligence reflected in the eyes.


    It was rampaging around, its gigantic fists and feet slamming down on the ground and against the walls like exploding tank shells. Amazingly, the entire chamber didn''t even shake from the immense power of each attack.


    And who could be the golem''s target?


    Why, it was Vanguard, of course.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    Jack couldn''t help but mutter in amazement at this unexpected revelation. He sure as hell didn''t see this coming at all, neither did the operators from the Dead Kings.


    Not only the mask-wearing burly Superhero was fine and healthy, he was actually keeping up with the fake Humbaba''s attacks quite superbly which was also kind of surprising to see as well. Vanguard nimbly dodged another thumping fist strike from the giant golem and he kicked the arm with his left leg, causing the arm to nearly break in two.


    That''s when Jack noticed something was off.


    Jack knew that Vanguard''s left knee was busted. The veteran Super often massaged it whenever he had the chance. And Jack covertly observed the injury before, with his Battle Sense so he was sure of it.


    Yet, Vanguard was able to kick the sturdy metal arm of the golem using that supposedly bum leg?


    ¡°Look over there!!¡±


    Stewart pointed behind the rampaging fake Humbaba, drawing Jack''s gazes away. The group could see another passage there that led deeper into the inner sanctum of the Tree but unlike everywhere else, there was a lot of light inside, allowing everyone to more or less discern what lay waiting at the end of the line.


    And what they saw was a pulsating metal sac the size of a person suspended from the ceiling with blue veins sticking out on the creased surface. The heartbeat-like hum seemed to come from this sac.


    ¡°Is that the core? So we blow that sh*t up and it''s over?¡± Gunnery Sergeant whispered quietly. ¡°It''s smaller than I thought....¡±


    Jack was slightly confused by the appearance of that sac, though. Because that thing sure as hell didn''t look like the Core Mylorne Akkad mentioned back in the mission briefing.


    His attention had to change when Vanguard was struck by the fake Humbaba''s attack and was sent flying away.


    ¡°Damn, he might die at this rate. We need to help him!!¡±


    Stewart commanded his men to take position. Then, they began firing away their rifles and Superpowers like crazy at the metal golem. It issued a keening noise and roared angrily, but it was clearly much weaker than the real Guardian Beast, unable to overcome the multitude of attacks on its own. Meanwhile, Jack hurried to where Vanguard was slumped on the floor.


    But he got a shock of his life, almost, when Vanguard silently stood up from where he was, apparently not too badly affected by the impact of that blow.


    Jack then noticed the strange, emotionless eyes exposed under the torn mask. It was.... glazed in deep white. No pupils, just eerie milky white ¨C as if he was possessed by a spirit or something.


    As a matter of fact, only then did Jack notice that Vanguard''s body, and more specifically, the left leg that was supposedly broken, wrapped in some kind of dull metallic material. It had expanded nearly to the rest of the torso, covering Vanguard up like tin foil.


    ¡°What the?!¡±


    Stunned, Jack stood there, his mouth agape. Vanguard brushed the speechless teenager aside without even an acknowledgment and jumped towards the giant golem, totally disregarding the numerous injuries on his body and the showering of bullets as well as Superpowers.


    Jack was left utterly confused by this new twist. He couldn''t figure out what happened to Vanguard nor his condition. Was he being controlled by the Tree? Then why was he fighting against the fake Humbaba in the first place? Or was.... he under the influence of someone else, a third party unknown to all? Or was that the fourth party instead, since Mylorne Akkad would''ve been the third interested party in this mission, logically speaking.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Jack sent out the Battle Sense and studied Vanguard, taking a glimpse into the burly Super''s muscular and joint structures. The result made him deeply grimace.


    A dull, metal-like material was actually coming out from the metal knee plate and the bolts inserted into the burly Super''s joint. It was flowing out like the melting chocolate, and Jack could see that as much as 60% of Vanguard''s internals were, for the lack of better description, coated in this material.


    Essentially, this coat of metal, or whatever it was, was controlling Vanguard. He was basically just an unconscious puppet now.


    Since he had no clue about all the details regarding Vanguard''s knee, Jack could only surmise this in his head ¨C that the bits and pieces supposed to aid Vanguard to enjoy a fulfilling life were actually not helpful at all. Someone or something must have had implanted a way to remotely control Vanguard at will during the medical procedure.


    The mere thought gave Jack a bout of chills. Just who could''ve done something like that? It was insane. Unless it was done by the Guild of Heroes, or the doctor who performed the operations was in the cahoots with the bad people, what happened to Vanguard was simply not possible. And looking at either possibility, the implications were serious. Very serious.


    The deadly fight continued on. Vanguard struck another solid blow on the fake Humbaba''s leg with his beefy fist, almost toppling it. And a well-placed round of bullets and Superpowers against the tottering leg finally brought down the metal giant.


    Vanguard pounced on the head of the downed golem and began bashing it like crazy. The whole thing lasted no more than a few minutes since Stewart and his men joined in. Jack didn''t have to do anything in this fight at all.


    ¡°Well, thanks for your help, Mister Lugal,¡± Leroy remarked sarcastically as he glanced at Jack, barely hiding his disdain. With his broken arm, he still managed to contribute to the battle so he felt like he had all the right to criticize those who didn''t.


    Jack ignored the man and concentrated his focus on Vanguard, observing to see if there was anything else untoward or suspicious about the veteran Super.


    Stewart must have noticed that something was off with the Superhero as well. He came closer to Jack, his eyes narrowing. ¡°There might be a problem with Vanguard over there. You noticed how he moved? I''m pretty sure he was never that nimble before. And what the hell is that stuff on his body? New costume?¡±


    ¡°Not a chance.¡± Jack shook his head and carefully called out to Vanguard while gripping his halberd tightly. ¡°Mister Vanguard. I need to talk to you for a second. Please, wait.¡±


    Jack ignored an enormous amount of red souls rising from the decomposing, melting body of the fake Humbaba and slowly walked closer to Vanguard. The souls were automatically absorbed into his Soul Sphere, so no need to concern himself with that matter at the moment.


    Vanguard seemed to ignore the call and he began to step into the passage that led to the inner chamber where the pulsing metal sac was.


    Stewart retained his narrowed eyes as he gave out a new signal his men. ¡°Let''s go.¡±


    Jack was the first to follow after Vanguard, entering the passageway. It was less spacious as the outer tunnel and the digestive tract theme continued here. There didn''t seem any other defense mechanisms or traps, what with Vanguard brazenly strolling ahead, seemingly unafraid and uncaring.


    Jack was convinced now. There was definitely something else controlling Vanguard. Without hesitation, he reached out and grabbed Vanguard''s shoulder, stopping the burly man in his treks. ¡°Vanguard, hold up.¡±


    Suddenly, Vanguard spun around and attacked Jack. His fist was sharp, thick with the intent to cause maximum damage. Being a high-spec Super himself, Jack was able to narrowly dodge the strike, but he had to let go of the shoulder in order to do so.


    Jack quickly retreated a few paces while the operators trained their firearms at Vanguard. But once there was some distance between the two sides, Vanguard seemingly lost his interest in them and turned around, resuming his solitary march into the chamber.


    ¡°Oh, there''s definitely something wrong with him, alright,¡± muttered Stewart under his breath. ¡°Okay, what now, Lugal? Frankly, you''re the only person here who can bring that guy down without killing him. But is it possible or is it too late?¡±


    Jack shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I don''t know. Can''t tell, yet. But our destination''s the same, so let''s at least see this to the end. Come on.¡±


    The group increased their speed, catching up with Vanguard but didn''t forget to maintain a little bit of distance. Vanguard didn''t seem to care or just plainly didn''t notice.


    The innermost chamber was dome-shaped. The air inside was incredibly warm and humid like the middle of a lush tropical jungle. There was also a sickly bittersweet smell in the air, too. Kinda like the scent of blood.


    But it wasn''t the strange odor that made the group to suck their breaths in. No, that was due to the several dozen metal sacs occupying this chamber. Some were sprouting from the walls, some were hanging from the ceiling and the rest, from the floor. The blue vein-like protrusions continued to pulse in a forceful rhythm, and if one concentrated, the ¡°glug¡± sound could be heard, even.


    Every single one of them hummed in unison. It was like a chorus of beating hearts, only several times more eerie and unforgettable in all the wrong way imaginable.


    ¡°What the f*ck, man? Is this from a set of Aliens?¡±


    Chuck swore softly under his breath but since it was silent within this chamber, other than that gulping noise, everyone heard it as clear as the daylight.


    A set from a movie, huh? Jack scanned his surroundings visually before extending his Battle Sense towards one of the sacs. As he expected, the metal-like substance actively repelled his attempt at probing inside. There was no way to tell what these sacs were or what was inside. They could be nothing more than some eclectic decoration, they could be the beating hearts of the Tree, or hell, they could be artificial wombs where replicants were grown in. Anything was possible.


    Vanguard ignored all these and continued to walk in deeper. Seemed like he wasn''t interested in these bizarre sacs at all. Jack exchanged more glances with Stewart before walking after the possessed Super. But his thoughts were still stirring wildly in his head. He couldn''t find a way to express them out loud which made him feel like a blocked drainage pipe or some such.


    One of the big, quickly churning thoughts was the true purpose of this Tree of the End. What was it supposed to be? The ancient godly beings, Anunnaki, allegedly used this structure and five others like it to control humanity. But how?


    Jack took another look at the pulsating metal sacs. There was a hint of an ominous aura coming off of them and it was getting on his nerves somewhat. It was the fear of the unknown, playing a harsh mind game with him.


    A desire to destroy these sacs developed in his mind, thinking that if he did wreck this place, then he could prevent any future troubles from blowing up in his face. But if the Core of the Tree was destroyed. then just like that, everything else would be taken care of so he decided that there was no need to waste extra energy which he didn''t have much of anyway.


    In the center of the chamber, they finally came across what could be the controlling core of the Tree, although it didn''t look like anything they were thinking of.


    Firstly, there was an altar. And an extravagantly decorated one at that. Jack failed to figure out quite how anyone would actually carve out something like that inside here, but well, there it was.


    The altar was wide but low; its base was decked out in countless precious stones, or at least that''s what it looked like, judging from all the sparkling bits that could be rubies, sapphires, diamonds, opals, jades and what-have-yous.


    And then there was the altar itself ¨C carved like a nest of thorns, it looked imposing and rather majestic. The operators felt an almost instinctual need to kneel down and offer worship at its base.


    Above this altar, suspended from the ceiling, was a huge crystal. It was even bigger than the one inside the red pyramid. If that crystal was as big as a person, then this one was as big as a luxury four door sedan. The most noticeable difference between the two, besides the size, was their colors. One was blood-red in color, while this one was in deep, deep navy blue.


    Vanguard was approaching this altar without a single shred of hesitation. Him being next to it, Jack could get the sense of how big the altar was ¨C the burly Superhero seemed positively like a toddler before it.


    ¡°What''s he doing?!¡± Steward asked just as Vanguard jumped up on the altar.


    Jack, using his improved eyesight, belatedly saw the golden skull right below where the tip of the blue crystal was pointing downwards. And when he extended his Battle Sense there, he watched in shock as strands of souls slowly emerged from the crystal ¨C except, now they were blue in color.


    The strands of blue souls were merging with the golden skull. And like a mirage, a figure of a person was slowing forming around it. This scene couldn''t be seen by the naked eyes, though, so the operators from the Dead Kings and Stewart had no idea this was happening.


    Vanguard was reaching out to the skull, evidently trying to grab it. Just as his hands were within a touching distance, a loud pang!! resounded out. Vanguard was flung away with considerable force, and a thin barrier of some kind formed around the golden skull.


    The Battle Sense told Jack that the barrier''s energy was coming from another object behind the skull ¨C a small round bronze artifact, maybe an ancient mirror. Jack couldn''t really tell what this energy was, but whatever it may have been, this presented another significant problem, because the barrier continued to expand until the altar and the blue crystal above was encased in it.


    Vanguard landed with a thud off the altar and on the metallic floor. Anyone, even a Super, would have felt that, but he just stood up and tried to get closer to the skull. Of course, the barrier meant his efforts were proved to be useless. Vanguard then began to attack this obstructing barrier with all he had, but other than creating some ripples, there wasn''t much progress made to speak of.


    ¡°Okay, this was to be expected, right? Wouldn''t be a fun trip without an obstacle like this,¡± quipped Lopez, sounding rather bitter about something. Jack didn''t ask what that could be.


    ¡°But is that the Core? It doesn''t even look like how it was described to us. How the hell.... are we supposed to blow it up? Do we even have enough HMX for this?¡±


    Chuck groaned and kneaded his temples. Gunney then began to calculate in his head before replying. ¡°Yeah, we can make do if we add other explosives. We still have a couple of M18A1s, and a handful of Thermites. It''s doable.¡±


    Jack nodded and walked up close to the near-illusory barrier to touch it, while ignoring Vanguard who was pounding away like crazy.


    A feeling of something quite solid could be felt and when he pushed slightly, there was no give whatsoever. Jack couldn''t help but inwardly frown.


    Hmm. This isn''t the same as that golden film as before. And I''m pretty sure its energy structure is different from the Tree''s, too. My Battle Sense can see past it, meaning it should not be impossible to cross over to the other side. But how?


    Jack thought for a moment or two before deciding to take away that blue soul strands from the crystal as an experiment. He closed his eyes and concentrated and lo and behold, the strands began to deviate from their paths and came over to his direction, eventually entering his Soul Sphere. Almost immediately, Jack felt ice-cold chill spreading throughout his body. Rather than being harmful, it felt incredibly refreshing to absorb.


    And unlike the ¡°normal¡± red souls, the blue souls were easier to control. His Battle Sense could interact with them if he concentrated on doing just that. Still, no discernible change in the barrier, though.


    However, the figure forming around the golden skull slowly raised its still-forming head. Jack could see how grotesque and nightmare inducing it was, the way the flesh and blood vessels were pulsing and quivering. The pair of piercing blue eyes landed on Jack and his mind was filled with a terrifying roar that sounded like it was coming from a distance but echoing right beside him.


    There were some words hidden in this echoing roar, telling him to cease wrestling away the blue souls and heed this creature''s orders. Jack''s frown deepened. It was really unpleasant and annoying as hell, so he started resisting this attempt at controlling him.


    He took a step back and wielded the halberd. With a loud snort, he slammed hard into the barrier, sending ripples of shockwave both physical and supernatural, repelling the roar from the illusory figure. The figure shrieked in pain and its form faded slightly, a sign of it weakening.


    The skull shook a little. Vanguard seemed to freeze on the spot, before resuming its mindless attack on the barrier.


    ¡°Hey, hey, Lugal. What should we do here?¡±


    Stewart asked, not affected by the roar and oblivious to what just happened.


    Jack hefted the halberd again and spoke. ¡°I''ll break this barrier. You guys just get ready to set the bombs up.¡±


    ¡°At the altar? Is it the Core?¡±


    ¡°Not sure. But I believe it could very well be. Blow it up, start the chain reaction and bring everything else down alongside it. That should do, right?¡±


    Jack spoke with confidence and let the halberd drop on the barrier. Another barrage of powerful shockwave inundated the barrier and the illusory figure shrieked louder. Its form faded even more; all the while, more and more of the blue souls were entering Jack''s Soul Sphere, spreading that cool sensation all over his limbs. His tiredness seemed to disappear and he felt nice and airy.


    When he struck one more time, the skull rolled to its side and revealed the bronze mirror wrapped around in a severed hand which was, strangely enough, rather fitting considering the situation. There was a compass there as well, but it didn''t seem like anything important so his attention didn''t remain on it for long.


    Jack sent out his Battle Sense to the bronze mirror, trying to see what it was and if he could interact with it. If he could disarm this barrier instead of bashing it a million times somehow, that''d be great, or so he mused silently.


    Jack could feel some sort of mental wave emanating from it and latched his thoughts onto it, and felt some sort of connection being snapped into place. There was another weak presence within this wave, but as soon as Jack took over, this presence, presumably that of the sinister-looking creature, was erased off.


    The mirror groaned and made a soft keening sound, before slowly levitating off the altar. The severed hand limply fell off and landed on the top of the altar with a plop. Then, the bronze artifact sent out a warm glow of light before flying into Jack''s outstretched hand, landing safe and sound there.


    ¡°Huh,¡± he muttered in amazement. The other soldiers too looked at this development with equal parts confusion and happy surprise. Needless to say, the barrier receded and they were granted access towards the altar.


    Vanguard immediately leaped up and landed near the golden skull. He seemed to be hell-bent on retrieving that thing no matter what. The operators, including Stewart, began to set the various explosives all around the altar while Jack also jumped up to where Vanguard was.


    Amazingly, the illusory figure was growling threateningly at Vanguard, and the burly Super was having a hard time trying to get closer, as if there was a tug of war being played between the figure and whoever was controlling him right now.


    Jack frowned, wondering what he should do here. He knew the golden skull had to be destroyed, but what was Vanguard''s agenda? The Superhero was still under the control of another force that, outwardly at least, didn''t seem in cahoots with the skull''s owner, the despotic Mad King En-men-lu-ana. But Jack certainly didn''t get the feeling that Vanguard, or whoever was controlling him, wanted to destroy the skull, either.


    If that was the case, then Jack just couldn''t stand back anymore. He quickly stashed the mirror in one of the compartments of the survival suit, silently stepped behind Vanguard and utilizing the advantage of the sudden attack, he threw the burly Super away, off the altar. And just as quickly, swung the halberd as hard as he could at the golden skull.


    The illusory figure looked horrified, then gnashed its still-forming teeth. As the halberd''s dull edge slammed down on the skull, Jack thought he heard the figure cuss at him.


    ¡°You!! You insolent fool!! This isn''t over.....¡±


    The halberd smashed the skull apart, even going as far as cracking the altar a little. The bits of golden skull flew away; the same thing happened to the compass as it too rolled away, disappearing from the view.


    The illusory figure issued a sorrowful whine before completely fading away. The blue souls that were fusing with the figure dispersed before shooting towards Jack''s Soul Sphere, entering it and becoming one with him.


    Jack felt satisfied. This mission was almost over. Nodding his head, he was about to turn his attention to Vanguard when he heard a loud scream. Following the sound to its source, Jack was greeted with the sight of Vanguard choking Leroy and Chuck with each of his hands. Not only that, the metal-like coating was extending from his arms towards the struggling duo.


    Seeing this, Jack knew right away bad things hadn''t stopped happening yet. There was one more hurdle to conquer. And it bore all the hallmarks of a ridiculously difficult hurdle at that.


    ¡°Sergeant Baxter!! Are you finished with setting the bombs?!¡±


    Jack shouted out loudly just as Stewart and the remaining operators rushed around from the other side of the altar. They immediately pointed their firearms at Vanguard but could not shoot because of their comrades in the harm''s way.


    ¡°Yeah!! But what the hell is going on here now?¡±


    Stewart''s shout reached Jack''s ears. Less than a second later, Jack jumped down to the ground below but it was too late to save the two caught within Vanguard''s iron grip. The metal coating took over their heads and as soon as that was done, Vanguard tossed the seemingly lifeless bodies up above the altar.


    ¡°Motherf*cker!!¡±


    Gunnery Sergeant was the first to let rip an avalanche of bullets from his assault rifle. Vanguard dodged a few but the rest struck the metal coating and caused numerous dents before bouncing away. With a pair of emotionless eyes, the possessed Super ran towards them, his arms reaching out for another pair of victims.


    Jack timed his swing and struck the torso of Vanguard with his halberd. He was shocked greatly when the feedback he got was as hard as the stone tablet of Humbaba. The halberd creaked in protest as Vanguard was blown away, slamming into the far corner of the altar. Jewels and broken thorns flew about, scattering like a spray of water as the portion of the impressive monument was destroyed as if it was made out of paper cards.


    Jack watched as the metal coating on Vanguard''s torso absorb the brunt of the attack, ensuring the survival of the Super, which was within Jack''s expectations. Perhaps discouraged by the strength of Jack''s swing, as soon as emerging from the debris, Vanguard cautiously maintained a small distance from him, neither getting in close or running away.


    The stalemate remained like that for the next minute or so, before Jack noticed movement above, on the altar itself. Two soldiers affected by the metal coating suddenly jumped down from there, their hands holding the recovered pieces of the golden skull.


    Damn, so he was wasting our time, while the others collected the skull''s fragments!!


    Jack quickly dashed in to block the three affected men from escaping, now that their objective was seemingly complete. Vanguard stepped out and met Jack head on, allowing Leroy and Chuck to run towards the exit of the chamber.


    Grimacing, Jack swung his halberd at Vanguard. ¡°Get out of the way!!¡±


    The weapon, as damaged as it was, still proved to be useful as it meant Jack didn''t have to touch Vanguard, thereby reducing the risk of getting affected by the metal coating close to none.


    Vanguard''s arm, coated with the metal thing, met the swing and sent out a heavy, explosive groan. Amazingly, their individual strength was more or less a match ¨C no one getting an upper hand at all.


    Meanwhile, Stewart and his men chased after the two affected operators who was running away. For a moment there, Stewart glanced back at Lugal but after thinking that the lives of his men took precedence over that of a stranger, he squarely re-aimed his focus on the backs of Leroy and Chuck.


    Catching them leave with the corner of his vision, Jack clicked his tongue. Being left behind didn''t sit so well with him, but hell, there was a bigger issue to deal with in front of him so he let them go for now. Recovering the golden skull pieces were important too, but Jack hoped that Stewart was wise enough not to touch the affected comrades lest he too became one of the possessed like Vanguard.


    Jack shouted loudly and quickly stabbed out with the halberd. Vanguard dodged to his side and closed in, his hands reaching out. Jack correctly judged the attack''s direction and slipped out of the reach but the halberd was caught in the grips.


    The metal coating then invaded the halberd, swiftly spreading all over it. Jack''s expressions fell and he discarded his weapon while retreating. Vanguard didn''t care about the halberd and went after Jack again.


    The pattern soon developed in this strange battle. Jack was almost entirely devoted to dodging. He didn''t even try to block or attack. While Vanguard was either trying to grab the boy or to land a hit. They snaked past the metal sacs, weaving between them and playing a super-fast game of an ¡°almost¡± tag.


    Jack had enough of this nonsense, so out of desperation, he kicked the nearest metal sac towards Vanguard just as the burly Super came into view. The sac swung and slammed into Vanguard, knocking him back. The sac''s connecting ¡°tissue¡± with the ceiling broke loose, and viscous liquid poured out all over the place.


    The acrid smell of sulfur quickly filled the chamber as the content of the sac spilled out. Jack froze on the spot as pale blue liquid washed over his feet. His eyesight was naturally drawn into a huddled, naked, half-formed lump of a person, its body incomplete and hideously disfigured.


    ¡°Lugal!!¡±


    Stewart''s urgent voice resounded behind him, from the exit. It didn''t sound good.


    Gritting his teeth, Jack ignored Vanguard and dashed towards the exit, a growing, gnawing feeling of worry rapidly blossoming in his heart.


    (Next release will take a bit of time, as I''m planning to do two chapters in one go. My apologies in advance.)


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!! Well, it doesn''t have to be a lot..... even a single buck would be fine, you know.)

 Red Souls Chapter 28: The Arrangement

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 28: The Arrangement</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    Jack expected the sound of ferocious explosions to ring out from behind him but no such event unfolded. Only the crisp echoes of the hurried footsteps pouncing on the metal surfaces of the exit tunnel accompanied his hasty retreat.


    Vanguard was giving a hot pursuit, still under the influence of whatever it was in control. Whether he was chasing after Jack, or, simply looking to leave the confines of the Tree of the End, was unknown but it was probably safe to assume the former was the likely explanation.


    Jack aimed to create a bit of a gap between him and Vanguard, but somewhat unbelievably, the burly Super suddenly gained a tremendous speed boost and arrived right behind him in a flash. As the possessed man''s hands reached out to Jack, he tumbled forward and ducked underneath, letting the Super brush past. That was a close call, too close for comfort.


    When Jack trained his sights on Vanguard, his eyes nearly popped out. Around the man''s legs, the metal thingy oozing out of his left knee had somehow taken the form of.... jet boosters. Like, as in jetpacks. A copious amount of air was being expelled from the two boosters in each of his legs, drastically increasing the forward momentum.


    Obviously, those weren''t there before.


    Amazingly, Jack could see the metal that had covered Vanguard wasn''t something solid but instead, fully viscous and pliable, changing its shape to form those boosters. Or were they thrusters? Jack was confused. Whatever those things were, once Vanguard''s feet touched down on the floor, they receded back into his legs.


    Now that he had overtaken his target, Vanguard turned around and took a threatening posture. Jack wryly smiled, seeing the blockage. They were in the large chamber where the fake Humbaba appeared so there was plenty of room to move around, but with that pair of boosters mounted on Vanguard''s legs, Jack wasn''t confident of making a successful run for it.


    ¡°So, uh, Mister Vanguard, how about letting me pass? You know, before this place blows up into smithereens. Wouldn''t be a fun experience, getting caught in a massive explosion, am I right?¡±


    Jack asked out aloud but he held very little expectations.


    But there was a slight change. Jack noticed it. There was a small twitch in Vanguard''s eyebrows. A thin line of sweat trickled down.


    Under the metal coating covering most of his body, Vanguard was indeed asleep. He was recalling the day he lost a comrade and had to retire prematurely from the active duty as a GoH Superhero.


    He hadn''t had this dream in ages. It was already seven years ago and he had moved on. He got over it, somewhat. Yes, every now and then a seed of doubt would rise up but he''d find a way to kill it. This time, it was different. Ever since getting knocked out by the unknown energy, he was mired in this unpleasant recollection of his memories masquerading as a nightmare.


    There he was, watching a hellish inferno develop on an offshore oil rig from the sky, riding on a rescue helicopter, along with three other Superheroes like him who had heeded the urgent call for help.


    This oil rig, located off the coast of Alaska and floating on the surface of freezing cold water, was the fiery stage where the lives of nearly two hundred people were hanging in the balance. Touted as the world''s most advanced and also the biggest, this rig was supposed to be safest and environmentally the least damaging, too. But a sabotage, later suspected to be the handiwork by a group of bio terrorists although never been proven, left the entire rig crippled and several places in flames. It was in danger of causing a massive explosion and contaminating the surrounding ocean biosphere.


    Pockets of toxic gas had trapped the workers within the maze-like corridors of the rig and a single spark at a wrong spot could cause the entire structure to crumble like domino pieces into the cold sea below. It was already a miracle that the burning flames hadn''t started the chain reaction of destruction and death yet.


    The Superheroes were in an obvious rush against the time to save the workers but were also fully aware of the significant danger to the wellbeings of the rescue team. All those who planned to enter the rig did so knowing they could die. And still, they entered, bravely weathering the choking fumes and high temperatures to find and free the trapped. Initially, the mission went well.


    But nothing in life worth doing was that smooth, beginning til the end.


    Vanguard could remember the desperation and anguish. He remembered cursing the gods above for the hostile conditions. He remembered the strong winds picking up and the weather turning for the worse, fanning the flames towards the wrong direction. He remembered a gas pocket exploding. And he remembered numerous metal pipes and beams falling like an avalanche, trapping and killing scores of people.


    The faces of all the Superheroes with him that day, Vanguard could clearly remember them all. One of them was a young up and coming hero named Feyton Drake, aka The Brave Fate. He was Mercury Retrograde''s husband, married less than two years.


    He had a unique power that allowed him to increase his overall strength when encountering dangerous situations. He said it had to do with his adrenaline levels, but it sure was a risky ability to possess. But he was brave, almost to a fault and he threw himself at whatever missions he could. But for this particular fire, he wanted to stay behind for personal reasons. GoH brass asked him to go nonetheless. So, against his better judgment, he tagged along.


    And in the end, he got himself killed. No, that wasn''t quite correct ¨C Vanguard and fate conspired to cut short the brave young hero''s life in his prime. Vanguard was there to witness the event and he had the knee to show for it.


    He had gotten over the trauma of this unforgettable day but now, he was dreaming about it in full color, similar to the days when he readily blamed himself for the deaths. Which was weird, because before he got knocked out, he was in the middle of fighting for his life against a very powerful foe. He couldn''t waste time daydreaming the past like this.


    Vanguard''s frustration grew as the dream continued while unable to break out of it. He struggled in vain until all his stamina was exhausted and he stood there, unwillingly subjected to the visions bombarding him.


    Then, there was a single word that entered his ears. It registered in his consciousness like a drop of water on the still surface of a dark pond.


    The voice that said it was far away and indistinct, but this word remained echoing in his mind for some reason. The word was ¡°explosion¡± and it sneaked its way past the barrier of his nightmare.


    That word rapidly fast-forwarded the vision to its climax, where the fiery inferno swallowed up Feyton whole. The dream ended there and he was left stranded alone in a state that was not quite asleep and not quite awake. He wanted to open his eyes, but couldn''t. Next, he wanted to move his limbs, but was unable to. He wanted to speak, but his mouth was sewn shut.


    Yet, he felt his body move on its own volition. The movements were familiar. He was fighting with someone. But with who?


    Vanguard concentrated as hard as he could, to open his eyes and restore the clouded vision. His eyelids felt unnaturally heavy. It was like something, or someone, was pressing down on the eyelids. But he wouldn''t be Vanguard if he gave up so easily. Oh no. No, he was the kind of person who''d give whatever he did his 110% of everything.


    He exerted as much willpower as possible and slowly, the view before him cleared up. Things were still in a blur and wherever he was, it was not well lit, but he could see the general shape of who he was fighting against. And he immediately realized that it was Lugal.


    What? Why am I....?


    Huh? But what is the matter with this body? Why am I covered in this.... thing?


    What the hell is going on?!


    He could just about control his eyes to take a quick glance at his own body. And he felt a silent chill run down his spine. He was nearly covered in entirety by this strange metallic liquid thing. This substance seemed to possess some kind of intelligence, somehow manipulating his body to do whatever that was necessary to attack Lugal.


    Vanguard was no idiot. A second of observation was all he needed to tell that he was in the wrong here. His body was trying to grab Lugal continuously while the armor-wearing Super was dodging without fighting back, as if afraid of hurting his opponent. That told him this substance was forcing his body to do some bad stuff.


    Wrestling back the control of his body was out of the question. He tried but Vanguard could not feel anything. Not his limbs, not his skin, not even the sense of being here. He felt like a passenger riding on a train, not in control of the direction he was being taken to.


    But he didn''t give up. If he could forcibly open his eyes, then at least he could do something else as well. He was sure of it. So, he again summoned his considerable willpower once more.


    Just as he was about to forcefully break apart the control of this metal substance, he heard a voice, not from Lugal but someone quite familiar. Vanguard blanked out the moment this voice entered his brain directly from a far away.


    Stop resisting, Vanguard. Let me take care of this. It''s for the good of the mankind. You should trust me. Haven''t you always trusted me?


    Vanguard''s mind shook. This voice belonged to....


    Meanwhile, Jack was oblivious to the internal struggle of the possessed Super in front of him. He was far too busy trying to avoid getting grabbed here to care. Although, his Battle Sense did pick up on a strange movement in Vanguard''s eyes but it didn''t seem to be anything important so Jack didn''t pay it much attention.


    Currently, Jack was feeling very much annoyed. This annoyance came from the fact that this situation was as screwed up as it could get. Jack had to do something about Vanguard as soon as possible, but could he be able to subdue someone who was being controlled by an unknown party without causing a heavy injury, or even.... death?


    Vanguard was more or less a puppet now that didn''t feel any pain or suffered the fear of bodily injuries. He was now a creature that could continue to attack singlemindedly and do that without hesitation. How could Jack possibly defeat such an opponent, unless he was prepared to kill?


    Well, killing Vanguard could be done. That wasn''t the problem ¨C it was obviously the fact that he was being controlled. Most likely unwillingly as well. Even Jack could tell that fact alone complicated things massively. People would question his judgment, asking him why he couldn''t simply take down Vanguard and subdue him until help arrived. Or some crap like that.


    Well, that metal-like substance could infect others, so if more victims appeared, then it would prove to be too damn troublesome to contain. Jack had a legit reason to act here based on that fact alone.


    Jack thought about dumping the responsibility to Stewart, but the good Sergeant probably already had his hands full with his own men being controlled, too, by the strange and unknown metal substance.


    Well, that might work in my favor, depending on how I repackage my words, right?


    Oh, what the hell am I even thinking about?!


    Jack groaned inwardly after coming up with nonsensical stuff in the middle of a struggle to survive. Just where he found the breathing room to take things this easy would remain unsolved for a while.


    Anyways, this was getting tedious real quick. Jack wanted to get out and go after Stewart and his men, and to stop the possessed Dead Kings operators to abscond with the golden skull pieces but Vanguard was persistently blocking his way. Time was being wasted here.


    What should I do? I can''t touch Vanguard and I have no other weapons of length to keep him at bay. The baton? It''s too short ¨C the infection of the metal substance is too quick and I''ll surely end up like one of them in no time. So what?


    ¡­.Oh, crap. Right, I have that bronze artifact!! That barrier!! Okay, but how do I use it?


    Jack had no idea how to call forth the barrier. Thinking that maybe the Battle Sense could do something, he quickly split a portion of it and sent it to the bronze artifact stashed inside one of the compartments in the survival suit. He felt the artifact respond but that was it. He still couldn''t summon a barrier. After a couple more tries, Jack realized that maybe he needed to find another way since this wasn''t happening.


    But how?! Damn it, where''s an instruction manual when you need one?!


    Jack''s brows twitched in irritation. He already went through the Gilgamesh''s memories but even the legendary forebearer hadn''t run across this mysterious item. Jack had to figure out all on his own. Too bad, being distracted in a deadly situation was a sure fire recipe for a disaster.


    He didn''t check his surroundings and gradually was pushed into a corner. By the time he realized this fact, it was too late; Vanguard lunged at him and there wasn''t enough room to dodge cleanly. Either Jack had to defend or go on the offensive. But that meant coming into contact with the infected and run the risk of falling victim to it.


    Cursing inwardly, Jack reached behind to grab the baton. It was the correct call, albeit one made a tad too late. Before Jack could get in position to defend himself with the baton, Vanguard got real close, almost to a touching distance. They were so close, Jack could feel the burly Super''s hot, heavy and uneven breathing.


    Huh?


    Jack frowned when he noticed this incongruity. Vanguard was taking in even, steady breaths until now but all of a sudden, he was having a difficulty? Jack shuddered at a single, needless thought popping out in his head, about which way Vanguard leaned, preference-wise....


    To his massive relief, that wasn''t the case. Instead, Jack spotted more movement behind the white eyes, as if there was a conscious effort to regain control happening within Vanguard''s head.


    A couple of tense silence later, the metal substance around Vanguard''s mouth cracked open and his voice leaked out.


    ¡°You.... Lugal... must...run....¡±


    ¡°Well, you don''t have to tell me twice,¡± murmured Jack as he quickly slipped out from the corner, away from Vanguard.


    Safely away, Jack took a stance a short distance from the possessed Super to react immediately if there was yet another change. Vanguard slowly turned around to face Jack but his movements were strained and unnatural, a sign of a man fighting with his own body. Jack couldn''t help but grimace as he pitied the man.


    Vanguard painfully raised his right hand, desperately clawing at his chest, trying to rip apart the metal substance taking over him. But he still let his words flow.


    ¡°You.... must... argh. You... beware.... of the president...¡±


    Jack''s frown deepened. ¡°The president? Who are you talking about? You mean the POTUS? Or GoH president?¡±


    But the conversation had to end there. Jack sensed Vanguard losing control of his faculties once more, the whites of his eyes stabilizing. And the strained movements became smoother. The cracked open mouth part closed shut again, an emphatic sign of the possessor taking over for good. Jack decided that it was a good time to run, now that the exit was unblocked by the possessed Super''s burly figure.


    Those jet boosters on Vanguard''s legs were of concern, but hell, he just couldn''t stand around getting cornered like a hapless mouse all the time.


    Jack quickly retreated towards the exit, with possessed Vanguard stepping forward to stop him. Jack readied to use the baton if those boosters came into play again, but he didn''t have to ¨C Vanguard''s right arm was still free from the control and it moved down to smash his own left leg with vengeance. It struck so hard, Jack actually could hear bones crack, making him wince accordingly.


    Vanguard''s tall frame faltered and fell face first on the ground. He raised his head for the last time, a final struggle to tell Jack that he hadn''t given up yet.


    Jack nodded and left. He understood. Vanguard sacrificed himself to buy time for him. No need to waste that by being unnecessarily sentimental when he couldn''t do anything to help the possessed man, anyhow.


    Jack ran. And he ran hard. Stewart and his pals must''ve exited the Tree''s cavity by now. He needed to catch up and see what was happening there. He needed to find out why there hadn''t been an explosion to destroy that altar yet. He stretched out the Battle Sense ahead as much as possible to avoid getting into a potential nasty tangle but he picked up nothing so far.


    He was about half way through, when the sound of jet booster came from behind. Vanguard was catching up. Rather, not Vanguard but the possessed Super. Jack glanced back to confirm, and clicked his tongue in anger. He swore he''d find out who did something so dastardly to the veteran Superhero and make that person pay. In the future, of course. After he escapes from this island first.


    Jack increased his pace, disregarding everything for the extra turn of speed. Finally, he emerged out of the Tree''s cavern and into the stale air of the destroyed Manhattan island. The night sky illuminated by the floating balls of light never looked so inviting.


    What''s not so inviting was a crowd waiting for Jack right outside.


    Jack came to a screeching halt at this unexpected sight. Tons of bright light suddenly came on to block his vision, but the helmet''s visor did its job again and the ploy of the opposing party fell short of achieving its objective in the end.


    Jack took guard immediately and observed this new arrival, then noticed possessed Chuck and Leroy among the unidentified ¡°soldiers.¡±


    Stewart, Lopez and Gunnery Sergeant were all on their knees, hands behind the heads, surrounded by dozens of rifle muzzles. Jack counted at least thirty heavily armored men here and sure as hell they didn''t look friendly.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Behind them, five huge matt black-colored aircraft that looked vaguely futuristic - two hovering slightly above the ground while not even emitting a single hissing noise, while three on the ground, their rear hatches open and soldiers piling out pushing several carts and containers in a hurry. Jack just knew that those futuristic planes had to be those latest Stealth type jets judging by the way they perfectly blended into the night sky. It was as if the matt paint job actively sucked in any illumination cast on the surface.


    Those supposedly blinding bright lights were mounted on these crafts, and there were several powerful miniguns pointing in Jack''s direction. It seemed rather obvious that there was literally no place to hide under the harsh and focused glare of the multiple light sources.


    The ¡°soldiers¡± wore similarly futuristic and completely unidentifiable black armor devoid of any markings. Although there weren''t any resemblance between his survival suit and their armor, Jack couldn''t help but unconsciously compare the two sets of advanced protective armoring and wonder who could potentially develop such suits. Could Mylorne Akkad be such a man?


    The soldiers'' faces were hidden behind the full-face combat helmets, different in design to Jack''s own. Again, not a single identifying mark on them whatsoever. And their weapons looked like no ordinary rifles, not like the ones wielded by Stewart and his squad. They were very Sci-Fi, for a lack of better, more imaginative description. These guns would''ve felt at home in a military themed Sci Fi shooter video game, for instance.


    Jack was stunned speechless for sure, but he didn''t forget to spread out his Battle Sense, belatedly or not. He kicked himself for not having his wonderfully overpowered ability prepared well in advance. Even then, he was not confident whether he could have found a way to avoid this.... ambush.


    He noticed that the men under the black armors were human and well trained. And even more shockingly, he felt the sort of unique undulations only seen on Supers coming off every single one of them. It was not as prominent as from Vanguard or Stewart, but it was there, as clear as day.


    The mysterious soldiers pointed their weapons at Jack, making it plain that he should stop from going any further. Behind him, Vanguard had caught up and stood there, blocking his retreat.


    This.... didn''t look so good.


    Jack glanced around for one more time and tried to call Mylorne over the survival suit''s radio, but there was still that interference. No signal could get through.


    ¡°Mister Lugal, please surrender peacefully. We mean you no harm as long as you cooperate with our mission objective.¡±


    A booming voice, amplified by a megaphone-type device, called out to Jack. It came from one of the aircraft floating behind the crowd. It also pointed that massive minigun at him, so there was that, too. The persuasion was indeed, proving to be quite persuasive.


    Wordlessly, Jack raised his hands in surrender. He figured that, even with his enhanced specs, dodging a minigun capable of firing thousands of round per minute was impossible even for him.


    The black armored ¡°soldiers¡± surrounded Jack and pushed him near Stewart and his pals, making him kneel next to them. His only weapon, the baton, was taken away, discarded along with the guns once wielded by Stewart and his squadmates.


    Vanguard moved in to mix among the soldiers, and Jack could just about hear the conversation taking place behind the helmets.


    One of them examined Vanguard''s condition and made a hasty report saying that the Subject Number 23B-X needed an immediate medical attention. Right away, Vanguard silently jumped into one of the aircraft''s open hatch and disappeared.


    As for the possessed Dead Kings operators....


    The metal-like substance withdrew from the bodies of the soldiers and coalesced in mid-air to form a single ball of liquid thing. One of the containers brought out from the grounded aircraft was a black box the size of a normal briefcase, its insides lined in shiny, platinum-like material. The liquid ball of thing flowed into it, settling inside all comfy and snug.


    The mystery soldiers took the box away and carried it back inside the plane, leaving behind two bodies that fell limply on the floor once the invading substance had left them. Jack spread his Battle Sense towards the two prone bodies and confirmed that both Leroy and Chuck were dead. The golden skull pieces were no longer on their persons, leading Jack to believe these mystery soldiers had already acquired them.


    ¡°Who are you people? Who sent you here?¡±


    Stewart barked out in anger while still forced down on his knees, but no one answered him. He wasn''t planning to give up any time soon, though. Being ignored was not a good feeling to endure, so Stewart was about to snarl and hurl abusive words at the captors, when Jack calmly spoke first.


    ¡°What are you going to do with the golden skull of En-men-lu-ana?¡±


    One of the mystery soldiers glanced at Jack before stepping forward to stare into the helmet''s visor. Jack was pretty sure the person''s focus was on his eyes.


    There was an uncomfortable level of silence, as the black armored soldiers rushed inside the entrance to the Tree''s interior, pushing the various containers and carts in. Up close, Jack spotted the unmistakable biohazard signs on the sides of the containers. Watching them stream past, Jack''s frown dug deeper between his brows.


    And the frown became the shocked horror, as this soldier pulled out a pistol-like weapon and wordlessly fired at Stewart and the two operators. Two shots per person, quickly fired point-blank range ¨C one aimed at the brain, another at the heart, execution style.


    Stewart, Lopez and Gunney didn''t even have time to protest. They died where they knelt, slumping forward weakly and silent. Blood seeped out and stained the metallic ground. Red souls rose rapidly, danced in the air, and shot into Jack''s Soul Sphere in no time.


    Everything happened so fast, Jack had barely any time to react. He knew right there and then, that he was facing yet another life-or-death situation. He decided that if a gun was turned to him and ready to fire, he''d not hesitate and counterattack. He''d rather die fighting than be on his knees, crawling and begging for mercy.


    But the expected firefight didn''t happen. Instead, the man behind the helmet calmly addressed Jack.


    ¡°Now that there are no more witnesses, shall we have a quick chat, Mister Lugal? Or should I call you Mister Jack Mercer, instead?¡±


    Jack stiffened noticeably. It took a millisecond or two to compose himself, but it felt much longer than that to him. ¡°Who are you? And who''s Mercer?¡±


    ¡°Please, Mister Mercer. Don''t play that game with me. We don''t have a lot of time to waste here. All we want is a certain level of understanding and a fruitful future cooperation between us. That is all.¡±


    ¡°Says the guy with a gun who just murdered three people in cold blood,¡± quipped Jack.


    The man shook his head. ¡°You know very well it had to be done. I''m sure you place much value on keeping your identity secret from the world. With the witnesses dealt with, you no longer run the risk of the overseers of Project Dead Kings finding out about your circumstances. I just did you a big favor here.¡±


    ¡°Did I ask you for it?¡± replied Jack, his eyes sharpening towards the mystery man.


    His Battle Sense grew to envelop the surrounding area around his current position. He could see every tiny movements and ticks made by the black armored soldiers. If there was an opening, he''d take it and escape. The first priority right now was to contact either Mylorne Akkad or the military outside the island. Jack wasn''t sure why, but the level of unease he felt from this guy or the rest of the armored men was quite high. If he stayed here any longer, he feared that something bad would happen.


    ¡°Oh, my. The files said you were an amiable person, but it seems like the past 48 hours changed you somewhat.¡±


    The man in black armor chuckled softly before removing his helmet. Jack narrowed his eyes as the face of an African man in late thirties appeared. His head was cleanly shaven, there was a well-groomed goatee but no eye patch.


    ¡°Greetings, Mister Mercer. My name is Alexander Olmos Dupont, the current Vice President of the Guild of Heroes, and the leader of The Unit X.¡±


    Jack held his breath. Guild of Heroes? Seriously? Are you kidding me right now?


    He felt his mouth dry up. If what this guy just said was true, and there was probably no reason to lie here, then Vanguard''s current condition made a perfect sense. The fact that the supposed heroes were outright murdering allies were what made Jack breathless. And also leaving a bad taste, too.


    ¡°Mister Mercer, now.... I will be honest with you since we don''t have much time left before the U.S. Military comes charging in, guns blazing. We should cooperate ¨C you and the Guild. We can certainly use a talent such as yourself. A talent, blessed with all the power of the fabled God-King, Gilgamesh of the legend.¡±


    Jack''s brows trembled harder. Just how much did this guy know about him?! ¡°And what if I''m not interested?¡±


    Alexander Olmos Dupont laughed genially, before shaking his head in a rather showy manner. ¡°I shall now draw your attention, here, to this tablet. Please, watch with your undivided attention.¡±


    A black armor-clad soldier handed over a tablet PC to Alexander Olmos Dupont. Whistling lightly, he switched it on and accessed a live feed, putting it on screen. Then, he showed it to Jack. The whistling never stopped.


    What Jack saw on the screen made his heart go cold.


    The feed showed four pieces of video footage, split into sections. First, on the right top corner ¨C Jack''s grandparents, together, watching TV. Jack didn''t recognize the room they were in. Their faces were anxious and worried.


    Second, on the bottom right corner ¨C his dad, Bob Mercer, sitting in a small room with only a single table and nothing else. His face was dark and sweaty. His clothes were rumpled, sweat stains visible on his shirt.


    Third, on the top left corner, Dana. She too was in an unidentified room, alone and unattended. She was holding her head, remnants of tears on her cheeks.


    And finally, Min-jung, currently shown on the bottom left corner. She was handcuffed, but to Jack''s consternation, she looked lethargic and powerless. She was also in a room with no identifying features, but was lying on a rough, skeletal bed with no covers or sheets.


    ¡°Don''t worry about your mother, Mister Mercer. We gave a light dose of sedative to calm her down. As for the rest of your family ¨C well, they are fine, as you can see.¡±


    Alexander spoke with a thin smile, but it got wiped out the moment he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand.


    An incredible surge of killing aura exploded out of Jack as he slowly stood up. His eyes were burning in pure anger, his whole being brimming with unstoppable power and momentum. Even someone like Alexander Olmos Dupont, who had dealt with countless powerful existences over the years, felt the pressure and cowered slightly. He thought that this intimidating presence was quite easily comparable to the current Guild President, who was a serious monster himself.


    ¡°Release them, now.¡±


    Jack''s anger infused voice caused the black armored soldiers of The Unit X to quiver in alarm. Some even began to take a step back or two. Naturally, dozens of guns were immediately trained on Jack''s shimmering figure.


    ¡°We''ll let them go, all in a good time,¡± said Alexander as he cleared his throat, the previous relaxed demeanor gone for good. ¡°Their freedom is entirely dependent on the choice you make here today, Mister Mercer.¡±


    Jack scowled and clenched his fist, ready to pounce. Behind him, the soldiers who went inside the tunnel emerged one by one, carrying the loaded biohazard boxes filled with stuff from the core chamber of the Tree. Seeing this, Alexander addressed Jack in a serious tone.


    ¡°Mister Mercer, you and I, we can be the best of buddies. It''s simple. We both face the same opponent, the beings from beyond the so-called Dark Void. I''m sure Mylorne Akkad already told you some things about them ¨C if not, you should research on this topic. It''s an eye opener. We will offer you all there is to know, just in case if you''re interested.


    ¡°Ultimately, we all want the same thing. Of course, your desire for vengeance against Falcon and Master Evil, that we can not let it happen. They both have their roles to play in this society, after all.¡±


    Jack narrowed his eyes and stared at Alexander, getting tired of being constantly surprised at this point. But it was worrying fact nevertheless that this man seemed to know all about Jack''s burning desire for vengeance. No one knew except Taylor. Not even his family knew this.


    Jack refused to believe that she told someone about this. It could very well be that there was a Super with an ability to somehow dig out secrets involved here, just that Jack couldn''t be sure whether that person was Alexander Olmos Dupont, the man standing in front of him.


    Alexander continued as his men carefully loaded up the various biohazard boxes onto the aircraft.


    ¡°Our suggestions are thus: forget about your anger. Forgive Falcon and Evil for their actions. Look at it this way ¨C if it weren''t for their acts that day, you''d never have awakened as a godly being.


    ¡°Of course, we''d like you to join the GoH. As its full member, you will be given many fantastic benefits befitting top Superheroes. The public will adore you. Worship you, even. You will be assigned fantastic missions to help save humanity. But yes, among them there will be matters that can not be seen in the light, in the interest of maintaining status quo. Matters such as today.¡±


    ¡°For that, you kidnap my family and threaten me?¡±


    Jack''s killing aura surged once more as he stepped forward. The ground seemed to shake a little as he took that step.


    Alexander smiled, but a thin line of sweat traveled down his cheek.


    ¡°They are merely an insurance to achieve full cooperation between you and the Guild, is all. Once we have your word, and a signed, binding contract, your family will be freed, not one hair out of place. So, what say you, Lugal? Join us, and we will provide you with financial support and information previously unobtainable to you. Such as, things Mylorne Akkad didn''t tell you until now. It''s a great deal, wouldn''t you say?¡±


    Jack frowned in anger and indecisiveness. He wanted to cave this Alexander guy''s head in, but his family''s safety was at stake and he couldn''t make the move. He didn''t want to agree to this crappy deal, either, if it meant giving up on Falcon and Master Evil.


    It just felt wrong. Bitterly wrong.


    Jack clenched his fist, trembling slightly. He watched as the last of the containers were being loaded onto those air ¡°ships,¡± each filled to the brim with various samples from the Tree''s Core chamber.


    ¡°Well? What say you?¡± asked Alexander, as he began putting on his helmet back on.


    Jack gritted his teeth. As he was about to open his mouth, there was an echo of a loud explosion behind him. The Tree groaned and shook visibly as the tunnel behind Jack was filled up with hot air, rushing out like a tsunami.


    The insistent hums of the structure wound down slowly, like the slowing ticks of a dying clock.


    The hot air blasted past him, and shook the dead bodies on the floor. The hair on their still heads danced softly, gently caressed by the passing breeze. The sight of them helped Jack to make up his mind. Jack took a deep breath and faced Alexader, whose face was now behind the impenetrable, impersonable wall of the black helmet.


    ~


    The dawn''s light seemed harsher than usual as the sun cast its rays on the devastated landscape of the island. The Tree of the End stood still, it no longer emitting any hum. In fact, the oppressive aura coming off of it was gone. Now, it was just a giant hunk of metal, left without a purpose anymore.


    The purple clouds with rolling thunders were gone, too. The pierced sky had reverted back and it looked normal. The numerous metal vines had all withered up, revealing the ruined streets of the Manhattan below.


    Jack gazed at nowhere in particular, all the while the numerous military helicopters approached his position. In the distance, he saw the Statue of Liberty but for some reason, he wanted to ridicule the very ideals, the lofty ambitions that monument allegedly represented.


    He was standing on the Southern coastline facing the Upper Bay, waiting for the cavalry to arrive, watching with tired eyes that didn''t care anymore.


    It felt like ages ago when he radioed in and told the waiting brass that the threat was neutralized and the recovery team could enter now. But that was less than twenty minutes ago.


    Standing by the water''s edge, seeing the helicopters reflect on the constantly churning surface, Jack let the weariness wash over. The worries of his family still dominated but no matter the level of enhancement, at the end of it all he was just a human being. Continuously fearing for the safety of his loved ones couldn''t be sustained anymore.


    More so, when he knew that this chapter of his life was finally done. The mission was complete. He could go home and forget about this for a while. The sooner he got off this damned island, the better ¨C especially if he could get as far away from that accursed Tree as geographically possible. There were one too many unpleasant memories now tied to that alien structure. Where he stood, Jack believed it was likely the furthermost point away from the Tree on this island.


    Among the helicopters, Jack easily recognized Mylorne Akkad''s aircraft due to its unique design. Mylorne didn''t have to come, but he did it anyways to retrieve Jack personally. He thought this craft looked suitably cool and futuristic at the first encounter but after the run-ins with the Unit X, it just felt a bit boring and staid in comparison.


    The rear hatch opened as soon as it landed on the ground and Jack climbed aboard wordlessly. He sat down on one of the seats and took off the helmet as the hatch closed. The privacy was assured inside this space and he just couldn''t keep on wearing the damn thing anymore.


    ¡°How was the battle, Mister Mercer?¡±


    Mylorne asked, concerned. He handed over a bottle of water. It was cold to touch, and equally chilly down his throat. Refreshing and rejuvenating, for sure.


    Jack gulped down the whole bottle before wiping the mouth. He took a short glance at Mylorne Akkad and then, slowly shook his head, sighing. He had to keep up the pretenses, make sure no one gets the wind of what truly had happened on the island. ¡°Everyone''s dead. Except me. I don''t know what happened to Vanguard, but.... it doesn''t matter. I''m sure he''s fine. All that''s important.... is that the Tree is not operational anymore.¡±


    He closed his eyes and leaned back against the cushion, his outward appearance seemingly too mentally exhausted to care.


    Mylorne nodded slightly before turning his attention back to the controls of the aircraft. ¡°We''ll do a debrief after returning to Newark airport. It''s unfortunate that many men lost their lives today, but ultimately, this was for the humanity''s own good, Jack. You did well today.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Jack murmured before closing his eyes. He wanted to retort that everyone seemed to talk about ¡°good for humanity¡± but no one could agree on what that was, but kept it to himself.


    There was a part of him whispering softly and insistently that he needed to tell Mylorne Akkad what happened with The Unit X of the GoH. But could he?


    Somehow, those men, that guy Alexander, they knew too much. It was as if they were listening in on every conversation Jack ever had. He could be paranoid over nothing, but when it came to unexplainable abilities and happenings, he had to be cautious. The leak could come from literally everywhere.


    Besides, he didn''t really trust Mylorne either. The stuff Alexander mentioned in passing about some of the Immortal''s business dealings, while their veracity couldn''t be verified, it''d be foolish to ignore them wholesale.


    And what about his mother, his family? They were still in the hands of The Unit X, hidden away in some secret location. He had to cooperate with them for now.


    His head became heavy, thinking about this unwelcome turn of the events. For now, he just wanted to go home and lie down for a while. He really wanted to do that. If there was one more catastrophe looming on the horizon, at least before it reared its ugly head, he wanted to rest first and then worry about it later.


    In all honesty, his faith in humanity was eroding fast. Everyone he could think of and knew was either sad fools manipulated by the hidden strings, or the manipulators of the said strings. He was pretty sure now that there was no one innocent left out in the world.


    He felt gloomy, tired, hungry and irritated. Worried, scared, reticent of what was to come.


    An arrow-like thought flew in and struck his consciousness. His heart twisted into ugly knots as the realization dawned on him; not only did he have no one to place his trust, he also had no one to truly depend on. Not his compromised parents, not his sister who was a normal person, not Mylorne Akkad and his dealings, not even the paragon of virtues Guild of Heroes. Could he trust Taylor? He probably could, but even then, she was weak and was liable to be used against him in the future. Not only that, there was no reason to depend on her anymore now that he had to give up on his pursuit of vengeance even if it was temporary.


    Seeing his options, it became clear that he was basically all alone now. What a wonderfully rubbish turn of events this was.


    Feeling the absolute worst, Jack let out a bitter chuckle. Even though he was powerful now, all that strength was completely helpless to do anything. Who was it that said only the absolute strength can overcome all obstacles?


    Well, that person lied.


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!! Well, it doesn''t have to be a lot..... even a single buck would be fine, you know.)

 Red Souls Chapter 29: The Aftermath

    <h2 class="western" style="font-style: normal; text-align: center">Chapter 29: The Aftermath</h2>


    (Please note, not edited/checked/PR-ed. You may run into a questionable grammar or two. If you happen to spot them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks in advance!!)


    A few months had passed since that day.


    Jack exited the hospital, unable to lift up his mood whatsoever. He was here to visit Nick who had been moved from the military hospital to a civilian one at the request of his parents.


    He was no longer in a vegetative state, but that didn''t mean he was all healed up and ready to live a normal life. He had received a massive head trauma and the damage to his brain was substantial. Nick couldn''t remember much about himself nor anyone close to him at all. Not only that, he was now a paraplegic. He couldn''t walk anymore.


    Jack continued to sigh as his feet dragged him towards the bus stop. He sat down on the bench, pensive and his shoulders slumped slightly. There was an old lady wearing a thick pair of glasses staring at her latest phone, reading something. He didn''t pay her any mind, nor did she him.


    Jack could probably guess correctly what she was absorbed with, anyway. The Tree of the End and the clean-up of Manhattan island dominated the news even after so many days had passed by. It was not that difficult to figure out why, when that impossibly tall metallic structure remained standing, completely overshadowing the Eastern Seaboard skyline of the United States of America. Some said that on a spectacularly clear day, the dead Tree could be spotted even from a place as far away as Greenland, although the rumor hadn''t been verified yet. Was it one of those internet myths waiting to be debunked? Jack didn''t really care one way or the other.


    The Tree had nothing to do with him anymore, that''s why. Instead, now it belonged to the federal government of the US of A. The current president, Mister David J. Trudale, declared a state of emergency and cordoned off the entire area of abandoned New York City. Eventually, he ¡°graciously¡± allowed several international agencies a thorough look-see of the unexplainable structure, ostensibly for the benefit of all mankind. How nice of him.


    The public wasn''t privy to all the things discovered within the Tree''s bowels. All the interested parties, whether that be the Department of Defense, FBI, GoH or Mylorne Akkad, they all got something out of the carcass, something that could ostensibly better prepare the mankind from the future incursions by the Anunnaki as well as other external forces.


    Jack sighed, slowly kneading his temples. He was in no mood to worry about any of that. His mind was occupied with Nick''s condition. He came every Sunday to the hospital in the city hoping to see some improvement to his only remaining friend but no cigar so far. After waking up from the coma, Nick was just vacant and distant, no hints of recognition in the eyes at all. Slowly, doctors said, the broken pieces of memories would return but seeing his friend like this, Jack wasn''t so sure anymore.


    Gilgamesh''s will said that he could improve anyone''s condition as long as Jack could develop his Battle Sense further, but during the last months he couldn''t improve this ability much at all. Whenever he tried, there were no tangible results. He was stuck in a rut, in other words.


    While he was sitting there sighing his heart out, the city bus rolled by and stopped in front of Jack. He noticed the advert displayed on the side of the vehicle, featuring the smiling masked face of Vanguard. He was promoting a new documentary to be released in the local cinemas, chronicling the lives of three young Superheroes working for the Guild of Heroes. The burly Super even appeared on many talk shows to build hype for the film, saying it was one of the most moving piece of entertainment he had ever seen.


    Jack was conflicted, seeing that banner on the side of the bus. He didn''t know what to feel. Vanguard looked to be in a perfect health as if he didn''t suffer through a possession by the mystery metal liquid thing. Was the smiling masked Superhero doing interviews the real Vanguard, or was he still being controlled? Either way, who was really in charge?


    Jack hadn''t had a chance to converse with Vanguard yet, so there was no confirmation. Still, that fake smile upset Jack. There was nothing to smile about, if he considered the events of the island and millions of people who were either killed by the Tree and its metal vines or were displaced from their homes. The greatest city on Earth was no more.


    Hence, the smiling face was at odds with the truth of the past.


    Jack shook his head to clear out the irrelevant thoughts. As he reminded himself again, the Tree of the End and all the business related to it were not his concern anymore. Whether the whole of the former city becomes a no-go zone or a lawless wasteland, it didn''t matter to him right now. Whatever happens, that would be in the distant future.


    Jack slowly got in and found a seat towards the back. His next destination was to head to the city''s vast library. He could hit the internet to seek out all he wanted to find out, but the truth was, Jack thought that his home was bugged. Phone lines, broadband, cable, satellite, even his own family ¨C Jack couldn''t help but feel that he was being monitored 24/7.


    There weren''t any physical traces of their surveillance, but every now and then, his Battle Sense would pick up on minute clues. Such as, a gentle breeze blowing while in a closed room, or a soft murmur out of nowhere, or a tickle on the hair tips, or a sudden drop in the temperature, a chill down his backside ¨C that sort of stuff.


    As nonsensical as it all sounded, with supernatural abilities in the mix, no one could blame Jack for being paranoid of his surroundings. Of course, with his nerves always on edge, he just couldn''t stay at home and endure the torture. At least in the library, he reasoned, he could hide in there and find out if anyone was tailing him. There were. Battle Sense occasionally picked one or two shifty characters checking him out.


    Jack never really tackled one of these ¡°observers¡± to ask who sent them but he could make one or two educated guesses ¨C the GoH, and its Unit X.


    Jack scanned all who was seating inside and made sure there weren''t any suspicious men on the bus before taking his seat. Once the bus noisily took off, Jack smiled wryly, thinking that before he knew it, the phobia of being in a moving vehicle had been cured somehow. He felt nothing as he rode on the bus. Was it because he knew he would survive pretty much 99% of all accidents now? Or was it something else, like not giving a damn anymore?


    His phone buzzed while he was musing his psychological changes. He pulled it out to check and saw that a text had come through. It was from his mother. She said that she was going out on an urgent business and that individual Mercer family members should find dinner by themselves. He smiled wryly at that message, too.


    ¡°An urgent business, huh....¡±


    Jack whispered softly to himself.


    Ever since the entirety of G Children from the Project Dead Kings got wiped out, with the exception of Erik, Lei and Cleo, the DoD was in a state of frenzy. Billions invested were gone in less than one night. That was why they lured in Min-jung back into the fold with the promise of a blank cheque and fat bonuses on top. Shockingly enough, she agreed.


    But whether that was because it was her own decisions or by another one telling her to, Jack wasn''t sure at all. Even now, he couldn''t be sure no matter how long he observed his family.


    He briefly recalled the hours and days following the completion of the mission. The majority of Monday morning and the afternoon was spent answering many, many barbed questions from whoever asked them. Jack sort of remembered some part of those questions, but the rest was a bit of a blur. What he did remember, though, was the hostile and disbelieving faces of several high-ranking military officials, especially of General Williams from the Dead Kings.


    Whatever, Jack stuck to the agreed script hashed out on the fly by Alexander Olmos Dupont. Even if he wanted to veer off and alert them to the GoH''s duplicity, with Emma Gilberts eyeing him like a hawk in the debriefing room, Jack couldn''t tell anyone anyway.


    By Tuesday, Jack was able to return to his empty home. The very first thing he did was to plop down on the bed and just sleep like a dead log. He slept for a whole day, not caring about a thing. No, that was not quite right ¨C he did care about the fate of his family, but he was just too damn tired to do anything about it. Sleep was the only natural recourse left for his tired, frazzled mind.


    When he woke up next morning, the latter half of the agreement made with The Unit X was completed ¨C his family came home. But their memories were altered. They had no recollection of the matters of the last couple of days. All they knew was that Jack was kidnapped but GoH members brought him home safe and sound.


    Of course, Taylor was another witness but she had no idea what had transpired so she was deemed as a non-threat, for now. Whether GoH was watching her or not was unknown, but Jack remained cautious.


    When his family returned, Jack used his Battle Sense on his family. He hoped to see no harm was done to them but his prayers weren''t answered. There was a small microchip embedded in the base of the brain on every one of his family members. He had no idea what they could be, but one thing was for sure ¨C it wouldn''t be for their good health.


    He looked through the topics of neural science while in the library in order to find a way to extract those chips but he was, in the end, just a dumb kid struggling through high school. What he needed was the level of knowledge base only someone like Mylorne Akkad could offer.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Recalling all this fact, his sighs grew longer. Jack read somewhere that sometimes, not knowing was a blessing in itself. He said this because, now that he knew, he had to distance himself from the worried family members as much as possible, lest he let slip something he shouldn''t have and end up endangering their lives in some way.


    Jack felt like an asshole for sure, the absolute worst of his kind. Staying all by himself and not opening up to anyone created a silent, unbridgeable chasm between him and all of his acquaintances. It was difficult to endure every day, but he fooled himself by saying that it was all for their own good. Maybe it was for him, his conscience, the easing of his guilt. He could not tell clearly after a while.


    Maybe I should''ve relied on Mylorne Akkad more....


    Jack stared at the screen of his phone for a second longer. The private numbers for the immortal billionaire were only a press of a button away. Until now, Jack stayed away from him as well and he too gave Jack a wide berth.


    There was a moment during the Monday''s debriefing session when Mylorne''s eyes flashed in cold light while Jack was recounting what had happened inside the Tree of the End''s Core chamber. Ever since then, the contact was sporadic between the two at best.


    Did he see through me back then?


    Jack knew he could have. There were one or two holes in the story, after all. Sighing, Jack gave up on the idea of calling Mylorne and put the phone away.


    He was not looking forward to his civilian life. He didn''t want to go to school tomorrow. Which was funny, as one of the things he fervently wished for was to live a normal life. Now, that was all but impossible. The world continued to churn and bounce day to day regardless of his feelings, though, and to continue with the charade Jack had to attend the school as if nothing was amiss.


    Right, there is that test coming up. I haven''t even studied for that....


    Jack groaned softly, his eyebrows sinking low. It was true that his academic performance was suffering badly of late, but it wasn''t like he could put an extra effort there when he was being besieged from all fronts.


    There were far more important eggs to fry, at least according to Jack''s mind, anyways.


    Thinking of school, he suddenly remembered the faces of the girls who began to hit on him. That was out of nowhere, Jack thought rather bemusedly. Refusing their advances weren''t much of a big deal and he wasn''t really bothered by it, but still, it''d be a lie to deny feeling good when he was being hit on. To be on the receiving end of the opposite sex''s attention sure made him feel like a man.


    Although, he had to wonder whether they were under the influence of GoH or something else. The Battle Sense said they were not, but he remained cautious.


    Then the face of Taylor took center stage in his head. Jack contemplatively scratched his chin. Through all the daily troubles, she continued to stick around him. Jack couldn''t decide if that was a good thing or not. GoH''s attention could be drawn to her if she stayed next to him. However, it was also true that she was not strong enough to defend herself if something untoward happened and he was her only shield, at least for now.


    Her dad, David, seemed to have recovered just fine, slightly worse for wear but otherwise, not too badly injured. Mylorne Akkad apparently took care of the hospital bill, which was nice of him.


    Finally, Jack''s thoughts turned to the trio of Erik and his two friends, Lei and Cleo. Jack hoped that they made out okay, settling down somewhere safe and far away from the madness of the world of Supers. That was just a wishful thinking, but hell, Jack just wanted to believe in something positive for once, never mind the fact that his connections with the trio not running all that deep to begin with.


    The phone buzzed again. Jack complained inwardly, thinking who could it be this time. It was Dana, who texted him to complain about their mother. And she asked him to get some fried chicken for dinner.


    Huh. My allowances aren''t enough to cover your gluttony, kid. Get your own damn chicken for crying out loud...


    Jack groaned and put the phone away, but not before consciously glaring at the list of messages on the device.


    GoH hadn''t contacted him until now. No calls, no mails, no visits from Alexander or his cronies ¨C just those irritating observers silently following him around. Which became more unnerving the longer Jack thought about it. What games were they playing? What did they want from him? Were they waiting to find more weaknesses in Jack''s armor before pouncing on him like a pack of hungry hyenas?


    If that was so, one more reason to stay further away from his family at all costs. They were hostages and victims, but at the same time weapons to be used against Jack. One sign of weakness, one moment of carelessness, and who knows what might those bastards do.


    Jack''s shoulders shuddered slightly at the disturbing thoughts and the chilly winds coming in from the open windows. The weather was getting colder. The Summer had moved on. The Autumn was entering a full swing. He pulled the jacket closer and crossed his arms.


    Sinking back deeper into the unhygienic bus seats, Jack thought back to the day his parents forced him to go to a shrink''s couch. That was a couple of days ago. Trauma and PTSD counseling, they said. Jack mused inwardly that he''d not go there anymore. It was way too awkward and all that.


    He wasn''t suffering from the mental issues anyway. His problems were external. And as long as there was a cocked gun labeled ¡°GoH¡± pointing at his family, there was nothing he could do. Jack''s anger rose up a notch, remembering the hardened, troubled and worried faces of his family members.


    He clenched his fist tightly, the urge to scream out and punch something growing steadily in his heart. It felt so good to cut loose and fight but he couldn''t do any of that for a while now. His supply of red souls remained the same since the mission''s end, with those mysterious blue souls occupying a small chunk of his Soul Sphere.


    Those blue souls....


    Jack frowned deeply. The blue souls were different from the red ones. While the red souls were like boiling magma, seething and burning, with the people howling in anguish, the blue ones were a complete opposite. They were calm, cold, emotionless. The people''s wills were docile.


    It was as if.... these souls were refined. All mannerisms that made a human a human, were all wiped away and now the blue souls were nothing more than just a stream of energy to be used up by the superior beings. That''s how Jack felt. Gilgamesh''s memories didn''t give him many clues either, but the occasions where he could bathe in those glorious encounters of the past now long forgotten were hard to come by.


    The last time he dived in the ocean of memories were on his birthday back in early September, which was a week ago. Otherwise, that day came and went with little fanfare. Even the fragmented memory he witnessed was dull and seemingly unimportant. No wonder he didn''t feel like celebrating it at all. Gifts were handed out and there was a tentative party but it was all mirthless in the end.


    Still, he experimented with the mystery blue souls and concluded that they were in essence, the same as well as different compared to the red ones, certainly a lot colder and were less difficult to look at. Just where they have come from, Jack could venture a guess but he''d rather not say it out loud. But it was obvious that the only source of souls near the Tree was the island of Manhattan itself so it was safe to assume that they were indeed the unfortunate residents who were killed by the rampaging metal vines.


    He felt sorry for them. He felt sorry for thinking of using the souls to make himself stronger. A necessary evil in a world full of evils. He didn''t know how, but he swore that, someday, he''d find a way to settle their grievances as well, just as he was planning to settle his.


    Jack pensively sunk deeper into the seat. He closed his eyes for a minute or two, seeking a respite from the weary matters of the world. The bus in the meantime came to a scheduled stop at the next terminal, letting the passengers on and off. Among them, a slender figure slowly entered the bus, her eyes alert and sparkly. She was a young girl, an extremely beautiful one at that, almost Elven in her ethereal beauty.


    She was the very person Abyss had rescued from the hands of the dead Albanian mobster, Wilhelm Milosevic.


    When she saw Jack, her eyes brightened. She quietly approached and sat down right next to him on the bench, startling Jack from his rest.


    Jack''s irritated gaze fell on the girl, but no words came out of his mouth. Instead, his jaw dropped to the floor in utter, utter shock. There was one word that did appear rather loudly in his mind, but it got stuck in the throat and couldn''t climb out. Jack was too busy reeling in this unexpected surprise to rescue that word from its predicament, though.


    The girl smiled and tucked her long, glistening light brown hair back behind her ears.


    ¡°You recognize me, don''t you?¡±


    Jack nodded, somehow managing to close his mouth shut, before opening it to finally mutter the word.


    ¡°Siduri..... is that... you?¡±


    The girl, Siduri, slowly nodded. ¡°Yes. It is I. I have been searching for you for so long. And now.... I''ve found you.¡±


    Jack''s mind shook. His vision seemed to gray out all that''s unimportant and he solely focused on her. Her face, her eyes, her gentle, relieved smile. Over this beautiful face, another face superimposed on it.


    And that face was of the beautiful raven-haired woman, the one next to the huge saber-tooth tiger, from the very first recollection of the past he had all the way back at Northbound R-35.


    She was Siduri, Gilgamesh''s last great lover.


    The cogs of fate hadn''t abandoned Jack. Unbeknownst to him, the wheels were continuously turning behind the scenes. And pretty soon, his life would encounter yet another earth-shaking change.


    Totally unaware, he was marching straight into the dark pits of the incoming chaos.


    (Alright, so here we are. This is the end of Red Souls. But it''s not really the end, because there will be a follow-up story, called.... uh, I haven''t decided on the name yet. Anyways, it is coming. That I can assure you.)


    (However, before that happens, I am going back to Aeterna Saga. I''ve been planning the 2nd volume of that and am itching to get started. Once that''s done, I''ll either return to the next part of Red Souls, or start on another wild idea that''s been kicking around in my head.)


    (Of course, I''d like to take a small break before I start Aeterna Saga, Volume 2. I''m only a human and I do need a time-out in order to not burn-out, you know.)


    (So, I''d like to thank my readers for sticking with me. I''ve no idea how many of you are out there and also no clue, most of the time, what you think of my work, but still, the mere fact that you are out there in the world, reading my story makes me want to write/type more and more. It''s a good feeling, really.)


    (Until next time, then. See you soon.)


    (Please support my writing by reading it, and talking to your friends about it. Any comments you wish to make are welcome, especially the constructive criticisms. Also, I would deeply appreciate if you show your love by donating some $$. Ahahaha. Well hey, I need "motivations" too, you know!! Well, it doesn''t have to be a lot..... even a single buck would be fine, you know.)