《Shunned》


 Elysium

    Elysium


    ''Life...so many people are grateful for theirs, I wouldn''t say I''m the only one not grateful but, I wouldn''t mind dying....not one bit''


    These were the thoughts of a downed lad, being stomped on and hit by elemental attacks. What was the reason for his beat down?, having two banned elements across the entire world.


    Nexora; a city of magic and technology.


    Where humans are born with an element or none, those without them use technology to do their bidding. For such a futuristic city you''d expect it to be open minded, it wasn''t. Not that they could be blamed, those elements; Lightning and Shadow caused a worldwide catastrophic event. One that scarred many for hundreds of years. Not enough to justify the abuse he was going through, but human hatred is one interesting emotion.


    Mort groaned as each kick and punch enhanced by the other elemental magic hit his body, causing him unimaginable pain. He slowly tried to get up but a kick to the back of the head made him kiss the ground.


    "What a loser" a voice taunted followed by snickers and giggles; all those voices tearing into his psyche.


    He didn''t ask to be born with this curse.


    ''I just want to be alone, happy...''


    "I''ll never get tired of this, beating you up Mort"


    the voice continued breaking him out of his train


    of bitter thoughts.


    "Once a weakling, always a weakling. Maybe when I am done I''ll pay a visit to that witch you called a mother!!"


    "Ahahahahahhahaha" the laughs rang out even more, echoing through the alleyway he was in.


    More taunts and cold words being spat on his broken body. Each stabbing and ripping away his will to even breathe.


    "What a Loser"


    ''So what? Nobody was perfect''


    "Imagine being an anomaly"


    ''Like people with elements are normal''


    "I heard he was a mistake that''s why he has only a mother"


    ''Shut up''


    "Freak"


    ''I hate all of you''


    Voices; conflicting with his thoughts mocked him, he raised his hands covering his head as he tried to get up once again, blows hitting his downed body. His muscles aching, screaming and begging for him to remain where he was. To take the beating like he always did. It will all end soon. And he can go back home, his uniform torn and bloodied, giving yet again, another excuse to his mother.


    ''Heh, yeah.. I fell off the stairs on the way home.. like she''d believe it.. it''s been the 5th time this week''


    No.


    No more. He can''t keep being a punching bag, he has been nothing but selfish. His mother has been stressed, all those nights she sobs and blames herself for his abuse while fixing his uniform. Having multiple jobs, being seen as a pariah;


    "the woman who birthed the curse"


    "a woman who couldn''t keep her husband"


    There were single mothers, why should her''s be any different?!. He didn''t care if he didn''t have a father in his life...not as much as he used to. His Mum was more than enough. And all he does is add to her pain, he couldn''t even fight back when that bastard threatened his mum earlier. The law... It doesn''t care for anyone, there is no justice in this world. So why should he bend to it?.


    It was time to stop all these, he needed to stand his ground.


    ''I won''t bow to anyone anymore, I won''t let anyone dictate my life or that of my mother''s.''


    "S-shut u-up..." he muttered as he forced his body up. His weight on his left knee as he panted in exhaustion and pain, trying to get up. The blows stopped raining down on his body. His attackers were waiting for their leader''s next move.


    "What was that you son of a whore?"


    ''This bastard, how dare he?!!''


    Rage burning like a flame in his chest, before he could retort, he was kicked hard in his gut, the sounds of bones breaking from the kick echoed through the alleyway, making the others surrounding him wince.


    "Jake, i think he had enough"


    A voice said, sounding queasy, the owner being a 5 ''6 light skinned lean boy with white messy hair as if the wind had a field day with his hair.


    "You''re right James....this ain''t over Mort, you hear me!" Jake; 5''9 with a lean muscular body for a boy his age, bright fiery red hair shaped like a flame, yelled at the groaning Mort.


    He began walking away with his boys, chuckling at the beating they gave the freak, some sounding nervous since this beating broke a bone. But they tried to hide it as they didn''t want to be on the bad side of Jake. Walking away from Mort, the expression of satisfaction plastered on their faces, be it the thought of putting him in his place or just glad to be done with it.


    ''Are you going to let them go away, just like that?!''


    A loud obnoxious voice yelled out.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Huh.." Mort muttered, weakly blood leaking from his busted lips, while he laid on his back, winching as it hurt to breath too deep. He tried to locate the voice, slowly turning his head to his sides trying not to stress his broken body.


    ''I think I''ve lost my mind, I must have hit my head way too hard'' Mort thought to himself confused.


    ''You idiot you''re not mad!!'' The voice yelled at him, subconsciously making him wince with how sudden and loud it was.


    More certain he was hearing voices, he tried to roll over on his stomach to gently get up and look for the voice.


    ''Don''t bother looking boy, you won''t find us.''


    Another voice continued, this one less obnoxious than the first voice, almost... shady. Calmly listening to the advice, he remained laying on his back, trying to gather his energy.


    ''You are weak, it''s almost pitiful. Here, take my power and do whatever you wish with it''


    Even while shady, this voice didn''t hate him, or look down on him, it seemed concerned for him.. or maybe he was just reading too much into it.


    ''Well?! Are you gonna fight back or be a wuss!?'' The first voice asked, annoyed at Mort''s hesitation and confusion.


    ''Hurry up I''m getting bored kiddo!''


    "I am trying, my body hurts and who are you guys?" he whispered to himself.


    ''Don''t you want to make them suffer?, for what they did to you?'' The calm voice came through this time, it felt like he was really there, his breath hitting his neck, but he was on his back, on the ground how was he...''


    ''Fight''


    And then, the voices stopped. It was dead silent, apart from the snickering bullies who were a couple of meters away. Anger, his body was burning like he was on fire but more...hotter, then it stopped.


    "I hate all of you..." A guttural tone came out of his mouth, almost animalistic, heck it was animalistic. Scenes of the looks of hatred he got ever since he could remember, being made the scapegoat back in the academy.


    All these years, his mother has been bad mouthed.. the days they went to sleep hungry, all for what?!.


    Just because he had 2 of the cursed elements!


    He never wanted any of these! He rolled over on his stomach, the pain numb, as if it was leaving his body.


    ''All I want.. is''


    He got up slowly, holding up his body with his arms as his knees shaked, but from something else, almost static. Infact his whole body started shaking.


    "I''ll make you all...pay, from now on, no one will have any power over me" Mort''s voice was getting louder as he started to move.


    Stopping in their tracks one of the boys looked back and yelled:


    "Oi! The idiot''s saying something!"


    "Shut up..."


    "Huh?" The boy asked confused as he looked at the beaten Mort.


    "I-i S-said Shut up!!!" He weakly yelled, his body sore and shaking as he slowly got up, his body slouched from how weak it was.


    "Well well well, look who has balls now." Jake spoke out as he walked towards Mort.


    "See James?" He stated as he kept walking to his target, looking briefly back at his close friend. "This is what happens when you don''t cut a problem at its roots"


    Jake said as he reached the slouched Mort, lifting his head up with his right hand by the chin, looking at the bloodied swollen tan face of his punching bag.


    Said punching bag had black wooly hair and was 5''7 with a skinny physique.


    BAM!!!


    Burying his fist coated in fiery aura deep in his gut, burning a fist shaped hole in his already tattered, bloody uniform.


    "They grow back up again" Jake continued with a sadistic smirk on his face as his punching bag groaned, coughing blood all over the ground as he fell on his knees.


    "Lets go boys" Jake ordered as he started walking away from Mort.


    Before they could continue walking away, a light hoarse laugh came from behind them, Mort''s whole body shaking with laughter.


    "Man you really can''t get enough of the beating can you?, you little...."


    Jake started to talk as he turned around only for a fist to slam into his face sending him flying, but his right foot was held onto by a bloodied and bruised skinny hand not stopping for a split second, the hand proceeded to slam him down into the concrete floor making a 5 inch deep crater shaped in his form.


    This will be more than enough to kill a human....but Jake wasn''t an ordinary human, after all they can use the elements, just cuz he got slammed into the ground hard, doesn''t mean it should kill him.


    "Jake!!!!!"


    "Boss!!"


    James and the others yelled looking in shock.


    "Ooof, so the punching bag fights ba-"Jake muttered as he tried to get up, stunned from the surprise attack.


    SLAM!


    A powerful blow found it''s way into his face, creating a deeper crater where his head laid from the blow, blood dripping down from Mort''s fist as he slowly lifted his right hand from his abuser''s face


    WHAM!


    Another blow hit Jake as his attacker slammed his right foot into his groin and proceeded to punch him again in his face preventing him from yelling out in pain from the groin stomp.


    He tried to get him off, only for Mort to straddle him and start punching him in the face, slowly, his knuckles pounding into his flesh, causing a pained groan out of Jake.


    ''Why can''t I fight back?'' Jake began to panic as he tried to push Mort off, but he couldn''t, something invisible and powerful held him in place. And his punches were actually hurting, something unseen from this twerp. ''He can''t even lift the lightest dumbbell in gym class. I have to get him the fuck off!''


    He channeled his magic into his mouth, hot fiery heat emanating from his throat and chest, waiting for him to wind up another punch so he could spit it into Mort''s face. only for Mort to cover his mouth with his left hand and punch him hard in the throat with his right, causing the attack to sizzle out and for Jake to puke out saliva and some blood as reflex into the hand covering his mouth.


    "M-Mort?"


    James stuttered, surprised at the level of brutality shown by the skinny boy in front of them. The hypocrisy!


    "C-c-chill m-man we j-just p-playing with ya" a boy with red hair,blue eyes and a light complexion stuttered out.


    "Yeah idiot!" another goon yelled, this one had green hair and was wearing a black headband, getting closer to Mort while the rest were behind him in shock.


    "We-"


    Only to be cut off by a hand covering his mouth preventing him from talking. Mort appeared out of nowhere right in front of him, his head moving to his right ear, facing all his former abusers, he took his free right hand, and


    "Shhhhh.... " Mort whispered, making a shushing sign with it.


    Before James could say another word,


    *Squelch*


    Mort''s right hand was seen through the boy''s chest, where his heart was, his hand protruding out of his back, blood dripping down the boy''s uniform.


    "Mmpphh!" The goon''s yell of shock and pain was muffled by the hand covering his mouth.


    "I said.....shhhhhh"


    *SLAM!*


    The goon''s head was then slammed into the concrete like a nail to a board, by the hand formerly holding his mouth, as the other hand holding his heart slipped out of his body with the heart still in it, like a hot knife out of butter. Making a squishy slimy sound. The goon''s whole head, from the neck up was stuck into the concrete with his legs drooping at his knees twitching for a second then stopping,dead.


    Raising his head to face them, a creepy smile on his face, his abusers flinched and dashed away.


    Who wouldn''t? When seeing your friend slammed head first into the ground with his heart ripped out. But alas, their path was blocked.


    "Where''d you think you''re going guys?" He chirped out happily. As he spread his arms in a welcoming fashion an innocent smile on his face.


    "The fun has just BEGUN!!!!"


    Mort roared out, his happy face replaced with a crazed look, the heart still beating in his left hand as he ran towards them.

 Rebirth

    "Ahahahaa!! Here catch!!"


    Whizz


    A red fist sized object flew at one of the boys. By instinct he caught it only to realize, to his horror, it was his friends heart.


    He shuddered as it was still beating and warm in his hand.


    Taking advantage of his stunned state, Mort dashed towards him and¡­.


    WHAM!


    The boy''s face cushioned a punch from none other than Mort, snapping his head back from this surprise hook from his  blood covered right hand, smearing the blood on the said boys face.


    A tooth flew out of his mouth, a testimony of Mort''s crazy strength. Not giving him a second to react, Mort spun on his heels and let out a devasting uppercut, snapping his victims head up with such speed it seemed like it''d fly off from the blow.


    The uppercut caused him to drop the heart on the ground as he flew a few feet backwards his back hitting the ground, not breathing.


    Crunch!


    Mort appeared in front of another boy, his elbow finding it''s way to his neck hitting him hard in the Adam''s apple.


    He clutched his throat in pain and stumbled a few steps backwards, not giving him a moment to breath, Mort jumps up right in front of his dazed opponent knees him hard in the nose with his right knee, a crunching sound rings out.


    His nose clearly broken, the boy  fell face first into the ground with a thud.


    "Two down, three more to go!!" A happy voice announced.


    Snapping out of their daze the remaining two boys and James began to act.


    A boy with dirt blonde hair slammed his left foot onto the ground, forming spikes that shot at quick speeds towards Mort who just yawned and side stepped it.


    The blonde panicked and stomped more randomly shooting out stone spikes at the monster in front of him who proceeded to move like a snake, dodging narrowly with a crazed look on his face, his toothy smile and widened bright eyes were too creepy looking.


    Mort appeared right in front of him fist cocked back, ready to punch his head right off only for a rock sized water bullet to hit him on his right cheek slamming him face first into the wall of the alleyway, dazing him. Grunting angrily he gripped unto the wall and slowly gets up with the support of one  the objects which caused his pain.


    Quickly, James swings out his arms yelling out his attack as it sounded unintelligible to the dazed Mort who got slashed across the back by what seemed like wind blades, cutting a few centimeters into his back bleeding profusely.


    The sting of the air hitting his freshly cut back snapped him out of his insanity.


    ''What the hell?!, what was I doing?'' He thought to himself confused, as he winced turning around. To his shock he saw his bullies downed; Jake in a crater unconscious, a boy sticking headfirst into the concrete with a hole where his heart was supposed to be, another knocked out his neck looking like it was about to be ripped off his head, wiping his eyes to see if he was dreaming, he smelt something metalic almost like blood.


    ''Wait..this isn''t my blood''


    Realization dawned on him as his right eye was smeared in almost dried dirty blood from his right  hand.


    Not giving him a moment to think, James charged at Mort and slashed at his head, his arm covered in wind, looking sharp as it sliced throught the air.


    His body moving without his consent, Mort moved backwards dodging the attack which gave him a few cuts on his face.


    The pain snapped him out of his confusion but it was too late. The ground shot up around him and held him, wrapping around him tightly covering his feet up to his head.


    "Gotcha!"


    That was the last thing he heard before a water bullet hit him hard in the face, knocking him out.


    "Well that was boring"


    Mort got up abruptly as he looked around all he could see was darkness.


    "Over here boy"


    Turning to face the familiar voice Mort saw two lean figures in the dark.


    "You got knocked out" the voice continued to speak answering his question.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "Now you have ten seconds to decide else you will die"


    A small screen of some sorts, a hole in the darkness appeared in front of Mort as he looked, he noticed he was seeing James swinging a large sword sized blade at his head, getting ready to kill him.


    "10"


    ''Why should I live? I killed people, even though they made my life hell.  I am no better''


    "9"


    Mort felt sick in his stomach recollecting what he did a while ago, the feeling of their faces being crushed by his fists. The stench of blood hitting his nose, the crunching of bones felt by his body parts responsible for them. The muffled screams and groans of pain inflicted by him.


    He wanted to puke out his guts.


    "6"


    "Oi snap out of it brat!! I don''t wanna die!"


    That psychotic voice!. It was the one that made him do this, but he was at fault for letting himself be played.


    His eyes dead looking,  he gazed on his hands, the ones responsible for taking the lives of his abusers. Regardless of what they did, they were humans.


    Yet he was the one that killed them like they were animals. What does that make him?


    "A survivor! If you didn''t do it, who knows when you will be the dead one!?. Act brat!! If not for yourself for your mother!" The crazy voice yelled at him, panic present in his voice.


    "2"


    But his mother... No, he can''t keep being selfish. He was coming home, even as a monster. He will be the monster that his mother loves, a monster she won''t need to know about. The whole city will definitely come for them. But first..


    "1"


    "Help me..." He pleaded sounding pathetic, he hated how he sounded, but what choice did he have? These two can help him. But after that, he will never be under anyone''s foot again.


    "Never thought you''d ask hehe" the crazy one said his voice now full of cockiness. He begun to make his way to the kneeling Mort, only for the calm voice to stop him.


    "Enough +#-+_+#+#@, I will take over now" Stomping his foot like a child the crazy voice whined.


    "It''s not fairrrr, I was having fun" he began, only to be silenced by the look he got from his counterpart.


    "You wasted time, time which we don''t have."Looking in Mort''s direction, he spoke calmly, almost soothing.


    "It''s okay child, nothing bad will happen. I will take care of it."


    A black tendril shot out of Mort''s mouth and gripped the wind blade. Stopping it 12 inches away from his exposed neck. Slowly lifting his head higher, he looked into James face, making eye contact, looking into his soul. A cracking sound was head as the blade broke into multiple shards that blended back into the air without a trace.


    The rock trap holding him in place started shaking before it blew outwards flying towards James and his two remaining friends who quickly raised elemental barriers of water, earth and wind to block the debris.


    Out of the debris shot out multiple black shadowy tendrils, that looked dead yet alive. They made their way towards the three boys. James quickly dashed backwards with the water boy. But the earth boy was not as lucky.


    The tendril wrapped around his legs and proceeded to lift him up by ten meters slam him hard into the ground forming a crater the shape of his body and leaving him barely moving. As the dust cleared from the slam, the boy''s body was barely moving, eyes bulged out, blood leaking out of his orifices.


    "K-kyle" James couldn''t believe what was happening.


    Before he could react the water boy was stabbed in the throat by a tendril, which seemed to come out of his own shadow.


    ''How? What''s going on? They can''t all be dead... they can''t be''


    Tears were dripping down his face, he wouldn''t want anyone to even see him soft but.. his friends were dead, he doesn''t even..


    ''I can''t breath..''


    Mort walked by him, like a shadow phantom, stopping beside him he whispered.


    "Any last words?" He asked coldy as he looked him.


    "Yeah!! Die you spawn from hell!!, Hellfire!!"


    A large ball of fire shot at Mort, James seeing the opportunity retreated as it slammed into his back.


    Jake smirked as he looked at the burning body of Mort.


    "Tch, died standing, what a freak"


    But his smile died as he looked closer, something black and shadowy was holding the fire, like a giant palm. Mort turned around calmly and just then, the shadowy palm extinguished the fire like it was nothing.


    "Was that all?" Mort asked, sounding confused, looking at Jake who breathed heavily.


    "You know, you''re just like my father said, a monster.." James drawled as a smirk appeared on his face, a mark started glowing on his right bicep, it was a sigil. A mark of the gods, a mark that allowed those with elemental powers to have control and use of the elements.


    "You should have ended me back then, but now, it''s too late!!" He yelled and focused all his life force energy into his sigil as his body caught fire, but the flames werent hurting him, the sigil seemed to burn the most almost like it''s about to peel off.


    "From the flames, come life.. Phoenix rebirth!!!"


    A large explosion of fire spread out of his body catching Mort off guard as the fire engulfed him, burning him forcing a roar of pain out of his mouth. Mort dropped on his left knee as the fire burnt at his life force.


    Without wasting anytime a sheath of lightning came from his skin and pushed the fire away from his body.


    Jake looked back in shock as the explosing took the shape of a pillar and went upwards hitting the clouds in the sky and parting them.


    ''He used the forbidden ability...''  His bestfriend was fighting and he was running


    ''No more. I have to help him.''


    He swang out his arms his sigil glowing through his jumpsuit appearing over his left shoulder


    "Wind blade!"


    Two green crescent shaped blades flew at Mort who was still pushing the flames off himself as the flames acted like cuffs, trying to hold him in place and burn him to ashes.


    The blades reached him and cut into his back, causing him to wince and lose concentration as the flames fully engulfed him and burnt him, his screams piercing through the alleyway.


    Panting, James huddled to Jake whose skin glowing golden orange, pupils red in color.


    "The scum is gone, this ability of my family kills everything, burning it till it exists no more, there is no known counter. In exchange for this, I lose my connection to the Phoenix."


    He explained as the figure of Mort screamed out in agony as the flames burnt everything, his clothes, flesh, muscles, blood and life force.

 Upgrade

    ''It burns, why does it hurt so much?''


    Agony.


    That was all he felt, his body, flesh, muscles, bones and even blood were hurting. He had been burned a few times when he was younger, but this one was different. Way different, it was eating him alive, one part of his body at a time like a predator slowly enjoying his prey.


    Writhing and gripping into the concrete, the fingers of his hands scraped and bloodied, he slowly got up as the pain became too much for him. He couldn''t take it anymore, he needed to act fast else he will definitely die this time.


    But what could he do?


    ''It''s too much, everything hurts even breathing''


    Yet he powered through the pain with gritted teeth and stood to his feet, spasming from it.


    "Do something!, the brat is dying!" The crazed one yelled frantically pacing back and forth like a caged animal, as he could feel Mort''s life force wane quickly.


    Without batting an eye, all his counterpart did was shake his head.


    "If we interfere yet again I fear that, they will find us"


    Stopping midway through his frantic walk, he looked at his friend in an incredulous way and gripped his shoulder yelling at him, eyes wide and scared.


    "Well I don''t wanna die to such a measly attack!!. Since when did you ever care about what ''them'' anyway?!. The only one strong enough to beat you can''t live without your existence and with the right preparations you could hold him off for a while, heck who even knows what you''re thinking?!.¡±


    Gripping the hand on his shoulder, he gave a calm yet stern look to the short brash being in front of him.


    "Well then, what do you propose?. If we try to save him we get exposed, worse the kid may not even survive. His body is too frail, he has no physical or mental training to handle the stress of our mingling.


    Hell, I''m even surprised he lasted this long!"


    ''Thats the first time I''ve seen him this worked up since...''


    Letting go of his shoulder, he sighed in defeat and made his way towards the downed writhing body of Mort.


    "Kid, if you can hear me, and want to live, then survive this"


    Calmly, he stretched out his right hand,  making a shooting sign with his fingers and shakily breathed out, his face now grim as he looked at the boy laying a few feet away from him.


    Gathering at the tip of his pointer finger, sparks begun to fly and take a round shape. Forming a small white marble, which could barely hold itself together.


    He let out a sharp breath and the marble smoothens out, taking a more stable appearance.


    Taking some few more seconds to contemplate if he was indeed making the right choice, he steeled his resolve.


    "Eradicate"


    Was all it took for the marble of lightning to be shot at Mort finding it''s mark, his left eye, entering it without any resistance.


    The clouds gathered, the wind picked up as it got dark. Sirens blew through the city alerting it''s citizens of the approaching storm.


    Baffled, James and Jake stared like children seeing fireworks for the first time. The sudden change of weather was not what they expected to occur. Something was definitely wrong.


    But what hand could Mort have to have in this phenomenon?.


    It just didn''t make any sense.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Without warning, a lightning bolt struck at Mort''s body only to be intercepted by a domed barrier, made up of blue tiny pentagonal shaped discs.


    ''Oh the barrier, I forgot that was up''


    Jake thought to himself nervously.


    The barrier was set up to prevent anyone from entering or hearing anything that came from the alleyway. He got it from an associate of his father''s, a well reputed scientist of Nexus. Normally, it wouldn''t appear to the naked eye, it''d seem, from the outside looking in, an empty dark quiet alleyway.


    ''I forgot about it, maybe if it wasn''t activated our friends might still be alive.''


    James looked down gloomy. He still couldn''t believe what was going on, it was was supposed to be easy. Beat up Mort and leave, simple as the ABC''s.


    Yet here they were, witnessing something they,  in their pre teens could never dream of, murder.


    Sure they''ve seen animals getting killed but these are humans, their classmates.


    Scoffing at the intercepting of his attack, he readied another.


    "Do they think a human made barrier will stop me?, I must admit I am a bit impressed it held up after that. But..."


    He formed another marble of lightning, slightly bigger in size and more chaotic looking, humming and whirring.


    He looks at his shadowy partner, someone he always thought he knew, a mysterious person.


    Most of the time he could never predict him.


    And he, was supposed to be the unpredictable one.


    How absurd.


    Smiling calmly he nodded at him. "We have to do this old friend, I know you''d rather not interfere much. But we both know what''s right"


    With that said he turned his gaze back to Mort''s body, a more determined look on his face.


    "Eradicate"


    The marble once again shot itself into his left eye, entering its target with a hum this time.


    As the storm brew, dust began forming outside the alleyway as people ran to seek shelter.


    James quickly grabbed unto Jake''s hand and tried to run but was met with resistance as Jake gave him a questioning look.


    "The-"


    He was cut short as the second lightning strike broke through the barrier shattering it like glass and with no more obstruction in it''s path, it hit flames burning Mort. With that hit, the fire screeched out in pain.


    Not expecting anything else to be able to hurt it, it loosened it''s hold on Mort.


    Sensing something wrong, it tried to escape, shifting to its original form. A Phoenix, but a large shadow tendril shot out of Mort''s shadow and gripped it''s leg, holding it in place.


    The Phoenix screeched out in fear after noticing what what held onto it.


    It  flapped it''s fiery wings harder in a frenzied state not caring for the burns it was inflicting to the walls slightly melting it like metal.


    Jake, confident as ever looked on in confusion.


    ''Why was the Phoenix trying to run?''


    He willed at it to continue burning Mort, but it did not mind it''s summoner.


    Flapping it''s wings harder and faster, looking no different from a regular bird trying to escape a tangled mess it found itself.


    A storm of fire formed out of it desperation, the heat from the flames spiked up to unbearable amount, cooking up the dead bodies in the alleyway.


    Any more of this and they could light up and burn.


    James seeing what the bird was causing hid behind Jake who was immune to the flames, trying to escape the onslaught.


    Surprised at the unexpected help, he looked back at the cause of the tendril.


    "You-"


    He begun only to be cut off.


    "-were right, just don''t rub it in my face after this, knowing you... That''s a fool''s wish"


    A dark marble the same size of the original lightning marble shot itself into Mort''s right eye, as if soothing him, he stopped writhing in his fetal position.


    The shadowy tendril started to eat into the Phoenix.


    Starting with it''s captured leg, slowly engulfing it.


    It  wrapped around it''s wing''s, unaffected by the fire released by it''s panicked flapping of wings.


    Effectively stopping the firestorm, all that was left was the head of the bird, it''s eyes full of terror and regret.


    But alas, in a matter of seconds, it was swallowed up, gone.


    The two boys just couldn''t believe it anymore, first the barrier now the bird.


    It was the mythical Phoenix, it shouldn''t be defeated this easy talk less of being scared of that tendril.


    ''What exactly was that thing?''.


    Their thoughts were cut short as the flames surrounding Mort died down after the firestorm was snuffed out.


    All that remained was the barely recognizable charred remains of his body.


    The tendril then retreated and entered Mort''s shadow.


    Where it turned pitch black, darker than the nights sky and spread out across the alleyway ground.


    It slowly started snaked up his burnt legs, and then up to his burnt body.


    A soft red fiery glow emanated  from within the shadow coocon formed.


    James quickly shook Jake out of his reverie and gave him a look. Without any need of words,they came to a conclusion, they had to leave.


    Both begun to run, only to be held captive by the tendrils from the pitch black ground.


    Jake quickly summoned a flame ball in his right hand, taking aim at the tendrils.


    "Don''t try it"


    A voice ordered from the cocoon.


    It was so cold, devoid of life that it went literal chills down their spines.


    In a matter of seconds it engulfs them all, wrapping them in a cocoon. The pitch black ground then spread more tendrils and covered all the dead bodies in the alleyway.


    The soft red glow began to pulse slowly, going on and off like a Christmas led light.


    From slow and rhythmic, it began to pulse faster.


    Becoming more and more erratic till it begun to slow down, coming to a unified tempo.


    Beating like a large heart.


    The cocoons then slowly receded and in its wake, the bodies of the dead boys were healed, laid out on the ground, breathing.


    The pitch black shadow covering the ground moved back to Mort''s cocoon.


    Slowly, the cocoon around James and Jake also fell apart leaving behind the unconscious body of both boys.


    The tendrils then moved to Mort''s, wrapping around his, making it thicker in density.


    "I''m alive?" Mort asked, looking into the dark expanse where he first met the two entities that saved his life.


    His voice dry and hurting from the screaming.


    "More or less, I''m surprised you lived. We will meet soon. Now you need to rest."


    A shadowy tendril then shot out of his right eye and engulfed his laying body, forming a thin layer around his form, putting him to sleep.


    Mort was then gently laid down by the retreating tendrils, as the cocoon wrapping him fell back into his shadow.


    In a matter of minutes the police of Nexus rushed into the alleyway, only to find a couple of pre teens knocked out and unconscious. The state of their uniforms were  burnt and torn.


    "Captain?"


    A burly 6 foot man walked up behind a short girl barely reaching his shoulder, awaiting her order.


    "Take them all to the hospital, except for the tan boy with the Afro. I want him taken to the Mayor''s" she said, her voice devoid of any emotion.


    The men giving grunts of affirmation, began to do as they were told.


    Taking one look at the unconscious Mort, she smiled sadly and shook her head.


    "You poor boy, it''s such a shame"