"We'll be spreading you apart into groups of two. You can decide the teams, but make sure to take into accountability your powers and abilities. Don't pair up with anyone random either, if you want to be on another team, you need to be on point with teamwork. This event will last until 7:30 P.M., then, if anyone's still standing beside the singular team that's beaten everyone else- they can fight it out together the day after. That being said, the rules are simple. No killing, break as many bones as you like, superhuman regeneration is exponentially more advanced than any sort of medicine on Earth right now. Now, pick your teams,"
The birds flying overhead reflected in his eyes, he took a shaky breath, feeling it flow throughout his lungs as it exited through his mouth. Knuckles tapping against his arm, Alex jumped slightly before recognizing the short redhead that'd 'punched' him. Rosa and Alexander shared a mutual fist bump, taking a pick from the chains in a bin popping up behind them. The lifelong comrades heard the metal clanking as the necklace snapped around his nape, connecting automatically, Rose scratched the mineral concisely,
"Ahhh! It's alive!!"
The Lovers cried aloud dramatically, the Reaper's laughter at his rival's sister echoing from behind, causing Rose to turn and smile. She made the Savior of Earth laugh, that has to be some sort of score in someone's book, right? Though, in the corner of her eye, as she was about to return to untightening the artificial jewelry around her neck, she spotted him. August walking over to a specific pair of duos, a blonde-haired girl, and a brown-haired boy. Widening her eyes, Rosey glanced between Hazel with Ed and Alex beside her fixing his hair stiffening the tie in his bun,
"Hey, who're those two?"
Ed, Al, and Haze turned around to see who she was talking about. Her index finger pointed down the row of students to see, those were the Rivera Cousins in their class. Rubbing his chin, Amara sighed, knowing their names and their powers all too well,
"Those are Ms. Emma's and her cousin's kids. Claire and Louis. No one knows what their powers are, though, because the Headmaster is their grandfather and August is their uncle, no doubt they're as strong or even stronger than I am right now,"
The group belonging to the Star and the Hermit groaned collectively at this information, Whitney ruffling Lynn's hair as he went to go get them the necklaces too. Turning his head, back hunched in unison with the female to his left, they rose at the same collective time- movements seemingly in sync. Her blue hair going along with the invisible waves of the wind, Myers' purple pupils darting between the technology and the girl beside him. The awkwardness of the situation seemed to rain over them, though they weren't even speaking,
"Is he okay?"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Inquired the Hunger as an echo to her inquest, to which she inhaled and exhaled at a steady race as if audibly controlling her breaths so she didn't kill him right there. It was clear she was annoyed by his rude response, though Whitney didn't seem to care for it as he seemed to roll his eyes at what she was doing. Tapping his finger against the necklace, she answered, turning toward him,
"The guy with the hair bun in your class. I remember his face being smashed into a table when the year was just starting, I remember a lot of things. I hope he isn't stuck in a toxic friendship with that girl,"
These events she was stating that occurred, he didn't remember them happening, maybe peeking around a corner to stare at her nape- though that was about it. That was the time she'd been tied down by her family's chains, her so-called Ringleader father. ~What a useless little piece of shit that old fuck was...~
"She was dealing with some family issues, she didn't mean to take it out on him, back then. Do you have something against her? Because, if so, I don't blame you. She can be a bit of a pain,"
A sweet smile curved up over her lips, a tiny chuckle emitting from her mouth as she put the necklace around her neck, previously having held it in her hands for a prolonged period. Turning so she could face him, Whitney's brow raised in curiosity at her stuck-out fingers directing at him. Scoffing with a smirk, he slapped his hand against hers and gawked at her face, she was rather gorgeous... wasn't she?
"Arabella Nova. You must be the infamous Whitney Myers, then?"
"Eh. Sure as hell ain't famous, so I guess that's right... Also, I guess this is as good a time as any to say it. I won't lose to a girl whose hair colored is dyed, no matter how powerful you are- I'll obtain victory no matter what,"
"I will as well…. And make no mistake, you'll be bleeding from your own eyes at my power, Myers,"
Widening his eyes at the retaliation, he stood there with his finger in the air, Lynn tapping his arm as she dragged him to their line. With all of the teams having been picked, the Event was ready to begin, Sammy taking a plentiful amount of steps back as August hovered and watched from the skies. The circular shapes of the sunglasses attaching to over his emerald and crimson pupils, he evaporated into a simple burst of energy.
The teams had been decided by the students, easy to discover and find out simply. All standing behind a simple line in unison, all wearing similar necklaces with a specific crystal in the center radiating with vibrant coloration. While the plan was simple, they weren't just fighting one another for the sake of it. To explain it in layman's terms, it was essentially a superhuman tag, though, instead of a tag; you grab something off of the person instead of just touching them.
Red Team - Alexander Amara and Rosalyn Karlo
Green Team - Hazel Adams and Edward Singh
Yellow Team - Whitney Myers and Sunni Lynn
Blue Team - Arabella Nova and Riley Kingston
White Team - Claire Rivera and Louis Rivera
A black sort of chaotic energy aura surrounded his fist, tightening his fingers as the flowing spirit spread throughout his body. Inhaling sharply, Whitney made eye contact to the far right. Alex, though he wasn't paying attention entirely, could sense the tenacity oozing off of Myers. Scoffing with a smirk, the abrupt piercing sound of a shell entering the air had tumbled from a gun, leaking out colored smoke into the area. High above the clouds, August punched his fist against his chest as he rose his other hand into the air, crying for all of them to hear,
"STARTTTTTTTTTTT!!"
Alex lifted Rosey off of the ground, zooming through the smoke, feet rapidly bouncing up and down against the grass. The time seemed to slow for him, instead of running straight down, the white lightning bouncing off of his anatomy had shifted to the left. See, Riveras are all imbued with Requiem blood, though some of it might be awakened yet, in the heat of a battle- there's no telling what they could pull. The Riveras on the battlefield needed to be taken care of- immediately! Louis, having run a bit forward with his cousin by his side, could hear the thunder rupture the planet. Grunting loudly, he threw his arm to the left so a stream of ice would fly out from his fingers. Rising his arms, Rose jumped off of her friend's back, pushing her leg into the air so it'd hit Louis's arms. Launching him further into the smoke so he could be separated from his relative, Alex leaped over the path of frost. As Claire reached out to try and find her cousin, her blonde hair was swept back from the impact his rival classmate made when his foot touched the emerald blades below them,
"Nice to finally meet you... 'Grunkle',"
Standing straight from his previous hunched back position, Alexander Amara slid up his eyelids, so those snowy pupils could gaze into his distant relative's. The Justice Usurper of the Requiem Bloodline. Having only tasted a drop of Absolute Concentration, he didn't know if he could truly battle any of these cousins- or better yet; allow Rose to battle the other Requiem Cousin. Though, in games, there are always risks you have to take to gain victory. Keep moving forward, and attain it no matter what,
"PLAY BALL!!!"
Whitney, having used some of Lynn's reserve strength to throw himself into the air. Since above wasn't covered by any gas, Ed was free to see this attack for himself, about to detonate a small nonlethal explosion just to incapacitate his temporary enemy. The explosion entered the air, though Myers let out a mocking sound from his throat, fading to a shadow as the fiery stream engulfed him. Widening his eyes, Edward turned around, about to be hit in the face though Hazel's arm had been wrapped around the Hunger's limb to stop it. Knowing this to be the true version of him, Edward couldn't let himself be distracted, catching Lynn at the last second by her throat. Wiggling around and scratching at his hand, Sunni couldn't help but laugh at all the fun they were having, winking at her lean 'past' colleague. Throwing her forward, a tiny pop from his palm threw her into the smoke so they'd vanish together, as the Star soon followed- his pinkish energy showing throughout his body.
"Huh... sorry about this, girlie!"
About to trip her so she'd fall on her ass, the electricity streaked throughout his body so he'd automatically fry. Though Whitney was resilient, his teeth gritting as the stream of sparks made their way to his nervous system. Staring at her for a brief moment, the look of regret for what he would was clear, as his hand slapped across her face so she'd loosen her grip. Widening his eyes, he quickly walked over to her, about to hold her face as he gently apologized,
"Shit, are you okay? I'm-"
Just like that, he was kicked in the chest! The blow was so sudden; the pain sharp as nails as it spread throughout the rest of his chest. Feeling some of his ribs about to break, he spit out blood and landed flat on his ass. Towering over him with a happy smile, she knelt about to take her friend's necklace, before his fist made contact with her gut. The Hermit stepping back coughed out blood and watched from the camouflaged state she'd reverted into. Closing her eyes so the glow from her pupils didn't give her away, she lifted off of her shoe, Myers quickly looking from side to side to search for Adams. Abruptly, she watched in curiosity, lids sliding shut over his dark purple optics. Declaring loudly, reopening his eyes at the final word,
"Shadow Domain. Emerge from darkness, blacker than darkness. ENGULF ALL THAT WHICH IS LIGHT!!"
"Woah!"
A tendril snapping around, wrapping around her leg, it automatically detected her as the bubble enclosed itself. Surrounded all by darkness, she reopened her eyes so the emerald beam from her pupils could light the way. Hazel loudly panting, searching around as she bumped into a variety of monstrous shadow demons from the realm he controlled- all that happened was the snapping of a necklace. Myers crushed it in his hands, taking only the green crystal in the center. Bringing her closer so her face could be in his chest, Adams hugged her friend as the monsters faded away. Pressing his lips against her blonde mop, she whispered,
"Mean..."
"You deserved it for kicking me..."
....
"So, I can let you stay here and nap while everything else goes on,"
"Thankz,"
Meanwhile, as Hazel and Whitney had begun their short spout, Lynn had fallen back into a new area surrounded by smoke and gases. Exhaling sharply, the ground morphed to the metal as the dirt shifted to that mineral, tightening around her fists. The pipes that created this very barrier were hers to control, made of pure Konpeki. Extending over her limbs, Lynn exhaled sharply, Singh rubbing his chin as he examined this sight. There was no doubt she'd come in using a surprise charge attack, moving directly forward so that she could get the upper hand. Most of his explosions rely on long-range, so utilizing them closely would mean risking damage to herself as well...
Though he didn't have much of a choice, all he could do was see if she would enact the moves he exactly predicted. Getting on his knee, he readied to push himself forward with a blast, sure that the Sun would move ahead so they could butt heads together. But, to his dismay, at the exact point, he propelled himself- SHE DIDN'T MOVE AN INCH! He fell right on his face, watching as the necklace was yanked from right around his throat,
"Shit..."
"No hard feelings, Eddy,"
Holding the crystal, leg pressed against the back of his own, she stepped to the side as a tendril dragged him back to the shadow bubble. Sending a thumbs up to his friend, Sunni waved to him as he stuck up the middle finger with Whitney reuniting. Holding the crystals in their hands together, they interlocked and changed to a larger one that sent an energy beam into the sky. With that, it was clear. The Green Team had been eliminated.
About to continue onward so they could eradicate everyone else, Whitney wrapped his arm around her own, pulling her back roughly so she'd spin into his grip. Widening her eyes, she instinctively placed her hand on his chest and tilted her head at a loss for words,
"I-"
"Shut up,"
Demanded softly of the young man, and as the couple locked their lips with one another, the lights flickered on. The chains around them had suddenly snapped off for this moment, and they were free. In each other's arms, gradually, one another had pulled themselves back from the other. Whitney being the first, Lynn reluctant, her eyes rolling back to their normal state. Spotting him chuckle, using his palm to slide over his lips, Sunni turned around and covered her tomato-shaded features. About to tease her, his eyes widened, sticking out his hand so her mouth could be covered by a shadowy-black seal, though the female-signature squeak had been let out. They'd just revealed their approximate location, and they had been standing right beside Bella and her partner. A wave of transparent fluids had overtaken the visible row, Nova emerging from the vertical smoke, her hand manipulating the liquid as the liquidy energy surrounded her anatomy. Her hair locked down onto her hair, Whitney pulled Sunni to his chest, adrift in the wave as his oxygen slowly sank to nothingness. Pupil shrinking, gazing at her features, he could spot that specific look into her optics before his arm was yanked by a manufactured shadow gate below him. As the duo of the Hunger and the Sun landed, the male held the girl in his eyes, the brunette in his arms coughing rapidly as she spat out water,
"What the hell..."
Standing up straight, Whitney brushed his fingers against the jewelry wrapped around his throat. They weren't out of the game yet, all he needed was to get the drop on her. Letting out a wince, he coughed loudly so the amount of sea that'd been drowned into his figure could throw out his esophagus. Wiping his lip, that look in her eyes...
"That girl... no doubt about it, she was planning to..."
Dark Determination. When you're ready to throw away your humanity to achieve their dream; reach the truth. What dream was she chasing? What truth had been hidden away that she'd been attempting to reveal from a sea of lies? Whitney pulled Sunni up, the portal to the upper world closing around them so Nova couldn't look through, kneeling with his arms around her own, he informed her of an improvised 'genius plan.'
Chewing at the end of his sunglasses, August examined from above the barrier, hovering beside the tower infused with Takyr energy located within the newly retrieved Key. Rivera stepping among the air so his arm could lean against the glass-like window pointing downward, The Reaper inquired of his aunt,
"Oi, Titi, when's the old man getting here?"
"He should be here... any second now, I think?"
Checking her watch, Madi's neck suddenly felt the tight grip of her brother's arms, the Headmaster embracing her. The tears threatening to leak from the corner of her lids, the Empress... smiled. There hadn't been many moments where she'd sensed happiness or affection from her younger brother. It was a nice change of pace from anything else, every bit of suffering they'd be experiencing. Though, above her, the Emperor held an indifferent face, as if debating whether or not he should rest. Until a specific tendril wrapped around his wrist, pulling him to a sofa in the far right of the reflective see-through chamber around them. August waved at his father standing over him, patting his old man on the head as Madisyn walked over his feet and rested her head on his shoulder. The Empress placed her soft tanned cheek on his chest, holding her relative in her lean arms. Lips parting, staring at her, Ben's mind wandered... before it fell, lifting to a smile. Peace and harmony. Quiet, as they stared at those who would take back their freedom, who'd dedicate their hearts together with no hesitation- for the new tomorrow.
The chain sliced a singular strand of hair that'd thrown itself into the air, Alex grunting loudly, sticking out his hand. An invisible blast punched Claire in the gut, sending her back, arm reverting to its original shape. Spine cracking and snapping rapidly out of shape, the young Rivera snarled and cried in agony as the wings popped out from her rear. Levitating upward before her back could hit the ground, the Granddaughter of the Emperor stared down at her so-called Grand Uncle. His hair moving with the wind flowing to the right, the Dark Determination in his eyes visible as he tightened his fist, and cracked his fingers. The bone snapping as he yanked it forward, she readied so her hand could snap its bone out of place. Taking the shape of a blade, ready to penetrate it into his arms, Alex simply stepped to the side. Heavying her body by an exponential amount, the snowy lightning traveling from his feet, Amara pushed his foot against her ankle,
"You're reckless, and here I thought you were dangerous... huh?"
Flashes of her crying mother's sobs echoed in the vastness of her mind, screaming as a tornado of flames burst out from her body, singeing the side of his face. Steam levitating off, he jumped back and chuckled with an impressed look as he gazed at her body. Feeling the fire surge throughout her body, she made a fist and readied to charge it through his heart. Smirking with a crazy look on his face, he did the same with an exciting stare in the center of his optics,
"What the hell you starin' for?"
The smile dropping instantly, Alex rose his fists, the glow around him illuminating brighter and brighter. Her left hand morphing to a cannon, aiming it toward his forehead, she declared soundly,
"Don't blame me for what happens next, Grunkle!"
Sinking his fingers into the grass, she stepped back for a brief moment, giving him the illusion she was about to jump further. Rising her foot so she could give him a ready kick upside the skull, Louis hardened his skin so he could take the hit and grab hold of her limb at the same time. The devilish smirk on both their lips had grabbed his attention most of all, raising an eyebrow as he readied to chop off her foot with his right hand. The ice overtaking his extremities and sharpening it to the point where it was like a cleaver, Rose's mouth opened as wide as possible. Unearthing a banshee-like cry, blood squirting out from his eardrums, Louis cried out loudly. Chuckling loudly, a simple straight shockwave had destroyed the chaotic trail of ice aiming for her legs,
"Stay still,"
With no other possibilities to halt his movement, Louis rose his head, his skin, and blood froze. About to turn around, her hair was grabbed and her body rose with his exponential strength. Rivera's icy blue eyes showed that same spark as his younger cousin's, 'Dark Determination,' as long as he could make his mother happy- he would achieve victory. No matter what! The streams of water entered her bloodstream, replacing the crimson fluids with the crimson thickness known in human bodies... it was only a matter of time before she froze and broke to pieces.
A kick to the side of the face as she emerged from the blackened gateway to the shadow world had knocked her to the ground instantaneously, hardened by reserve Konpeki she'd broken off of her arms. Riley, her legs previously crossed, had been knocked out instantaneously. Towering over, and breaking through the necklace so she could grab the crystal, Sunni's chest was hit by a sudden burst of water. Lynn, on her back, the liquid swirling around her neck and lifting her, a tendril about to take hold of the necklace- a spear had entered her back. Blood squirting out, Nova yelped, and as she turned, there he was. Hands in his pockets and all...
"You..."
"I don't know you, I know I don't. We talked once and I saw a future as friends- so why are you trying to kill me and my girl?"
Brought to a grinding halt as a result of his words, Arabella's hand stuck out, about to drown him in a sea. A wave forming around her and largening as time went on. The water around him straightened and sharpened, Myers formed an easy shield around him, breaking through the water as his palm touched the grass. The Hunger's parted strands moved with the chilly wind, the fluids shooting out from Nova's fingers, it wasn't just a wide wave... it was like an ocean had overtaken him.
Over time, he could feel his consciousness fading away, oxygen about to run out, breathing ragged before he was once more engulfed. Adrift in the world, as his body was stabbed by the chaotic body of water, Myers shook himself out of a daze. They were friends, he saw it then when they declared that promise together... Why was she trying to kill him? Did she want him... to prove himself? There was nothing he could think that could be the truth! It was never that simple... he had to keep MOVING FORWARD!
Jumping from inside the water, his body shining like the sun's rays shadowed his body, he landed back to where his position once was where he'd stood normally. Hunched over, arms shaking as they dried off the water staining his clothing, he chuckled and stared deep into her eyes. About to throw another attack, he weakly created a fist, with Nova watching in horror as his fist made contact with his cheek. Blood drawing in a stream, the thickness of the crimson oozing out from his nostrils, Bella whispered,
"What... no... please, stop,"
"This is what you want, isn't it?! For me to just fall over and die after the future I'd seen had been so... clear, and happy?"
The strength had been snatched away from her, about to fall, her knees shaking. The ties keeping her hair in buns had flown out, teeth-gritting as the memories seemed to pop back up. Was she truly ready to have friends again? Or was she destined to forever... be stuck in that cycle of abuse that those assholes had done before? Those people that'd promised to give her their undivided attention, their full love, and all of their support. And yet, when the time came- none of the work she'd done was appreciated. None of the sounds she'd created had been listened to, as they were always 'busy..' why should she trust him now?
That's right... they truly were, all the same, people that say they wish to be her friends. Were her parents the only people that seemed to care truly for her? Then, it dawned on her, his nose had been broken- and he stood there, about to pass out from the anguish he'd been experiencing. What had she done..?
"Fight me... with all your strength. If you want to win, then win... Arabella Nova,"
Widening her eyes at the speech, watching as his wound was stitched and the blood had been wiped by another shadow hand- a bubble of darkness popped up behind her. The chaotic waves grew larger and stronger, spikes of individual liquid popping up. Grabbing at the air, she smiled and cackled loudly at it all. Smirking at the sight, Myers pushed his index and middle together so the tendrils would direct at her from the peak of the bubble he'd created. The edges sharpening, he smirked at her growth, eyes widening at the sight and the smirk morphing to a proud smile. Declaring loudly, she yelled,
"I want... to have friends... again!"
Chuckling softly, the next words following that ones made him happier than anything else ever could in this world. Pushing his hair back as the tide rose, about to throw itself further into the air so she could throw it at him...
"Don't blame me for what happens next.."
In unison, their attacks were ready to fly out from their command, their brains holding all of the power in this battle. All of the fights were about to resume, the frost about to reach Rose's brain, Claire was about to attempt to burn Alex as he ran through the flames and reached for her throat- and now this...
BOOM!!!!!!!!!!! Black clouds that belonged to a thunderstorm overtook the sky and shrouded it in darkness, thunder rumbling about, the students looked up in confusion. Phasing through whatever material the transparent barrier was made out of, his figure was barely visible as he descended from the Heavens. Azazel, in the far right corner of the reflective chamber, could barely make out his face. Though, as soon as he did, the black and ruby energy seemed to pop out from the soles of his feet, the Detective snarling in anger. August jumping to his side so he could see with his rival, his eyes widened in surprise...
To see this sight, the very thing he'd experienced in nightmares in the past... there It was. In the guise of the infamous Doctor, Abaddon Kuno.
The Demiurge... had returned.
Synopsis for Chapter 53: The Training Event is interrupted thanks to the arrival of an old enemy, the one who'd caused the onslaught of artificial superhumans into society. Will the students be able to hold It off before the Reaper can take over or will they perish in the process?
Next Chapter: The Urge to Fight