Night One Hundred And Fifty Nine
Age ???
"You have to try harder!" Mr. Hyde yelled at the small five year old Row. "You have to use that power! You have to mean it!" He screamed out.
"I... I'm trying..." Row said quietly the green scar over his heart glowing. "But... But it hurts when I use it."
"Then fight through the pain! You need to harness that power." Piero said over in the corner where he rested. "I had to kill my own brother to give you that Crest... Use it."
Mr. Hyde let out a sigh pushing up his glasses. "I guess you're going to need some help Row..." He said clicking open a briefcase. "You have the DNA of several people relating to the Dragon Clan... So I assume it's only fair that I give you a Dragon like motivation..." He pulled out a small tube of glass where a small white like creature could be seen moving around... "This is a piece of the Prince... The strongest Bestia Macht that was sealed away by Master Storm... It's only a small piece..." He said slowly moving towards the young boy. "Still though... I'm betting if this thing is inside of you it'd kick start that Crest. After all you'd need to get it out before it devours your organs. Or maybe... You'll use that Crest to recreate those Organs?"
Row tried to back up but the mans hand came out as he gripped Row's arm. "W... Wait-"
"Either way." He clicked a button on the glass box as it began to open and the bug slithered out stabbing into Row's arm and slowly sinking into his flesh. "I'm sure you won't die from it. If it does we can always fall back on that brother of yours. Vil. So don't go screwing up. Other wise we'll have to put him through this as well. If you really want to be a good brother than bare that pain so he doesn't have to..."
The labs filled with the screams of Row as the long worm like Bestia Macht bore its way into his flesh...
***
Age 1991
The White Nation...
The Organizations Secret Base...
"It's quiet in here huh?" Viper asked letting out a laugh.
In a simple stone room a large wooden table could be seen. On it ten people could be seen. Hero Law, also known as the Jester, Vil, also known as One, Viper, Turron, Fox, Mr. Snow, Ash, and Vahan, the man in the sunglasses, as well as Ben, and Mr. Hyde. Bright, and Cloak were no where to be seen.
Turron just let out a small hum as he covered himself up with his scarfs hiding more of himself. "Where the hell are the other two?" Viper asked raising an eyebrow.
"I regretfully have bad new regarding my wife." Mr. Snow said. "As of this moment she is currently within the Oleander Prison. It seems she was found out. It took all my connections, as well as the Mystery's inside position, to convince the Enforcers, that I wasn't in this group, though I will be having to move a lot slower now due to that fact. I must not alert them."
"Great... The Enforcers got one of us." Vil huffed folding his arms.
"What of Bright?" Hero asked cocking her head to the side.
"Last I heard he was gonna try the new bugs I gave him." Mr. Hyde said resting his feet up on the table. "Speaking of which... I'll have us a Seraphin in no time guys so just sit tight..."
"Bright should have been back by now?" Ash hummed.
"Ahh. I'm sure he has his reasons." Vahan laughed leaning back and also kicking his feet up on the table much like Mr. Hyde was doing. "He's a strong kid. He's smart to. Save for the drug addiction. How about you Fox? You have anything to say on the matter? After all you were the one who found the kid, and got him addicted to those drugs, and offered him a position in our group Three Ages ago... He was about Vil's age when he joined right. Also about Vil's height-"
"I'm not short!" Vil yelled.
Fox folded his arms and simply allowed a hum to escape his lips as he looked away. "I don't care."
Viper let out a sigh throwing her arms back behind her head as she eyed the group up. 'Turron, and Fox, both don't care about either of them... Mr. Hyde, and his husband Ben, are to focused on their new project, Hero and Vil, are sort of worried but not in the panic stages yet. Ash, and Vahan, are curious, and Mr. Snow... He doesn't even bat an eye that his wife was captured and is likely being tortured. Of course he murdered his last wife, and only married Key, to make a political stand, so I'm not shocked. Still... You hear that Key? North? You two could be dead in a ditch somewhere, and we're all more concerned with what we're having for lunch than your whereabouts. Shouldn't have joined a group like this.' Viper giggled to herself getting a look from her partner Turron.
"What's so funny?" Turron asked slowly.
"Nothing. Just thinking of a hilarious joke."
Before anyone could say anything else though the doors to the room were suddenly kicked opened as a new force entered the room. They all knew who he was. Only one man could have this aura. The Mystery slowly stalked into the room as he made his way over to his chair. For a second it looked as if something was wrong... His shoulders were sagged, and he seemed to be walking slowly as if sorrow clung around him, but it soon faded when he saw the faces of those around the table...
Weakness was not an option here...
He grabbed his chair pulling it back as he took his seat.
"Nice of you to finally join us." Viper said in a snide remark.
"I regret to inform you all, that as of today Bright, also known as North Glacious, has been killed in Action."
"What!" The entire rooms personality seemed to flip as everyone stared at the man in shock. Even Viper looked concerned. They all stared at the man waiting for him to go on but he didn't say anything. He simply rested back staring at them all.
"How did he die?" Hero asked frowning.
Mystery let out a small hum and tapped his fingers on the table. "Honestly... I don't know."
"What? You're in the Enforcers though?" Vil said frowning. "How could you not know?"
"His death is being ruled as a death in Action... They say his body was pierced through the heart by a wild Bestia Macht, and not even his body survived. He died heroic defending Rose city... I suspect no one in the Enforcers, save for Master Storm know the truth as to what happened to North... Likely a way to boost ratings. North was a Gold Badge Ranked, meaning people knew his name, even outside of the Enforcers. Finding out he was a traitor could have been bad, so they decided to lie, and claim he died heroically using his death as a symbol for the Red Nation... That being said, this secret of theirs, is being kept from even the Captains, and myself... That old man refuses to let even his own people know the truth for fear of another traitor I suspect... In the end we won't know if North was found out, or how, and who, actually killed him. There is always the chance their story is true, though I find it far more likely he was found out and killed...."
Hero tapped her fingers on the table as she gritted her teeth. "That's not... But North..."
"North is dead..." Vil said stunned.
"I had a feeling that fool would die." Fox said folding his arms. "If it wasn't this, he'd have OD'd on those drugs long ago."
"I suppose this is sad, but we should move on." Mr. Snow said nodding his head.
"So we're down one..." Turron whispered.
Ash frowned tapping his foot on the table. "When's the last time we lost a member?"
"Not in a while..." Vahan nodded. "And to lose North..."
Mr. Hyde hummed. "Well his work won't be in vain. I'll finish it for him."
"Sad. Anyways." Ben nodded.
Over with Viper she held the smallest hint of a smile on her lips. 'Well would you look at that North. You went and got yourself killed and the first thing we do is get back to business. I'd call that... The Punch Line.'
***
Oleander City...
Jail...
"This is your cell." A black coat said pulling the metal doors open.
"Thank you." Hero said stepping inside. He was currently in a simple grey jump suit, and both his hands were hand cuffed together. He was a little shocked to see the state of the prison but soon got over it as well as the intense heat that was in here. He slowly rested back on his head, as he let out a sigh.
"I'm shocked." Hero looked up and saw her. Her cell was across from him just like he had asked Master Storm to do. Key stared back at him a smirk on her face. "What are you doing down here... And why are you dressed like that? You're an Enforcer right... Or did you change sides?"
"Don't be a fool." Hero said shaking his head. He slowly stood up and pulled back on his wrists snapping the hand cuffs that were on his hands. "Technically I shouldn't be here. Despite what I done, it was ruled as Self Defense, and the only thing that is being looked into, is why I didn't try to arrest him. I'll be getting off scot free, but asked the old man, to place me in here, for the mean time."
"Oh? And why would you do that? And what did you do to warrant this anyways?"
"I had a few reasons..." Hero shrugged. "The main one is I wanted to talk to you."
"Oh?"
Hero looked down at his right arm. It was clean but he saw the blood that coated it still. "Something... Something is weird... With this body. I've noticed it since my fight with Jester. Than again with my fight with Mystery. I'm improving at a fast rate... That's one of the reasons that I came down here. This place is awful. And yet I can feel my body already adapting to it. Much like when I was a kid, ad dunked into the Black Ocean, which reaches temperatures nearly 2,000° degrees Fahrenheit, my body is adapting to the heat of this place and I'm evolving. In about a week I could sit here and be perfectly fine."
"So you threw yourself into hell on earth just to see if you could evolve past it?"
"It sounds strange right? I guess I'm doing what that worm did. I'm crawling forward. Just like when it entered my flesh and squirmed around in my bones and muscles." Hero asked giving a smile. "It's just... I'm done. I'm going to protect them all. I'm done failing. I'll do whatever it takes to keep them safe. I'm going to save all my friends, and the ones I care about, I'll become strong. Stronger than anything. I'll crawl forward until I become a Dragon. Then I'll kill it. The Beast of Hunger..."
"Beast of Hunger... It's also called the Beast of Gluttony... A Large shark like monster... Some say it was made by God and will devour all things... You want to kill it? More importantly you want to become a Dragon... The Prince, the strongest Bestia Macht is a Dragon you know... Many wouldn't view you as a Hero if you went and turned into that."
"Then I'll become a heroic dragon. I'll crawl, and crawl, and crawl..."
"You're a fool Hero Law."
"If keeping them safe makes me a fool than yeah. I'm the biggest fool." Hero moved towards the bar of his cage and reached his hand out. It glowed and shifted into his new arm. The shield. "I got a new power up. One that will let me win for sure."
"A Shield? Jester doesn't have a shield... She only has the sword, and rifle... You changed the rifle into a canon, and the sword into a drill... Now you've gone and added your third form huh? You're really moving past her powers. I wonder what your level two is... Judging from the energy coming off of that thing, it's close to evolving... That's what you're looking for right? Every fight you get a little closer. You're trying to reach level two?"
"Not trying. I will."
"We'll see won't we..."
"We will." Hero pulled his arm back as it shifted back into his normal human arm. "That reminds me. North Glacious. I know he was Bright."
"Do you now?" Key smirked.
"I do." Hero moved back over to his bed and turned to look back at Key. "That's the real reason I wanted to come see you."
"Is it?"
"How long has North been in your group?"
"Why would I answer that?"
Hero let out a sigh shrugging his shoulders. "Alright then. Oh... By the way. I killed North."
A heavy silence passed over them both as Key stared at him stunned. That amused look was gone, replaced with what looked like sorrow. "N... North is... You..." She stared at Hero looking into his ruby red eyes. For a second she saw and ocean of red, as well as what seemed to be a massive red pillar, and a snow white, haired boy. She had to look away breaking whatever it was she had been seeing as she shook her head. "You killed the... You killed the man I love."
"Yep."
"You..."
"And I want you to let the others know."
"You..." The cell seemed to shake as she glared across over to Hero. "When I get out... I swear I'm going to-"
"I know how these things work. You won't be in here for long right? You'll be breaking out soon. So I wanted you to tell the Jester, she better hurry up, and kill God. She's on a time limit."
"What the hell are you on about..."
"I murdered North for hurting my friends, and several people I didn't know." Hero said bring his right hand up and clenching it into a fist. "I... Will never forgive any of you, for bringing my little brother Vil, into that group. I'm going to crush you all and save Vil. Because I'm a hero of Justice. A Superhero. Because..."
For a second Hero thought back to her... One of the first people he met. Him as in Hero, not as in Row. Someone not even Row knew about. A Girl who shaped Hero...
Her long silver hair... Her bright silver eyes... He saw her once more...
"Because there is someone I must beat no matter what..."