The roars of terror and screams of rioters from the street were music to his ears, his coat moving with the flow of the wind. Everything had been going the way he'd planned it, the Eiffel Tower itself was still piercing the skies as the Emperor stared upon the chaos he'd created. A stronger person of power who managed to dethrone another person of power, it was just as Kuno had said all those years ago. Humanity needed a strong authoritative force to lead them into the new world he'd puppeteer alone. And if none of his family would follow him down the path he'd chosen for himself, then he would move forward on his own. There would be no way to communicate with everyone given Omni-altered DNA, not with his basic telepathy strengthened. That'd definitely be too difficult on his own.
Though everyone was differentiated in all of their shapes and forms, one thing was the same with every one of the Enhanced. October 16th, 2013, at first, he'd believed that the wave had altered his DNA but from the very start- its'd awakened the Requiem blood inside of him all along. Omni mixed with Takyr to form what is known as the subspecies to the humans, Enhanced. Superhuman. Human cells infused with pure Omni energy would give them powers, the same with Takyr... yet the side effects of the demons' energy is unknown. Nevertheless, every single one of the newly enhanced superhumans in 2036 experimented on had their genetics spliced with Angels' Omni.
And because of that, they were all connected by way of a psychic other world that housed only a tree. Each branch holding the intricacies of another person's unique traits and otherwise, glistening with the shininess of a superhuman's soul. Only those who'd existed before the second wave of superhumans on the previous Earth had known of this connection. Ben, Jason, Madi, Ella, Matt, Henry.. the Emperor was the first in a lineage of creatures to be bred and born from the blood of the Guardian of the Temple. Powerful enough to harness the special explosiveness of a supernova and decimate an entire planet. Technically, his own father could do this and command every single one of those superhumans as a new army for Heaven.
He had no doubt that despite the Decimation of Heaven, his father, The Author, were all plotting another scheme to ambush Earth once more. Humans were weak, corruptible, and malicious. They believed themselves to be at the top of the food chain, when in the vastness belonging to the Multiverse- they were tiny specks begging to be controlled. By the Emperor of Time, if he were to slaughter them all and gain control of the Author's power on his own terms, then he would be able to finally have... Peace.
All order stems from the roots of chaos, all these deaths, the government and otherwise. A new era will rise from the ashes of the world and as the Demon Lucifer once challenged God centuries ago, the Emperor himself will take the place of that King from the Flames of Hell. All this time, everything he'd been searching for since the beginning of 2052.. what he'd seen when he touched Alex that day.
This scenery. Pure and unbridled chaos caused by him alone. The wind moved with the flow of his hair, kneeling at the edge of the roof so he could he get a closer look at everything he'd orchestrated. But.. this wasn't the time for something like that, he'd been too distracted by the beauty of his succession. As he began to ascend from his crouched position, his lips parted and the announcement began.
Back in Washington, Alex stared with Rose by his side, her head on his own as the duo of friends gazed at their wounded allies. Ed getting healed and stitched by Ella with Whitney getting a different treatment from Jason. His demonic blood squishing right out so it could bond with the humanity of Whitney. At the same time the Justice and Lovers stared together, the Demonic Vampire explained to the teenage boy and girl. Vision still attached for the regenerating skin wounds, lips parting so he could inform the two,
"I watched from the roof behind with everyone else, we saw that you two left because they asked you to. A duel, of sorts. Whitney here, I saw how crazy he was, the motherfucker was ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of the mission. Someone like him has experience with manipulating otherworldly creatures, me, though? Not even close. I'll be giving him some of Lucifer's blood so he could have more enhanced healing properties and manipulate the demons to his mind's content. All those who share a demonic connection are connected by way of Lucifer's Curse. Rosa, you and the Karlo kid are brother and sister, of course. Me, I guess I'd be an uncle to sorts. {Alex: Pff..- that sounds so wrong} Heh, not the rapey kind, trust me. So, ginger, think of Whitney as a brother of sorts,"
"He's already short, annoying and stupid! I'll do my best, Chief Mister Executive Jason sir!"
Amara could be seen staring at her in confusion for her odd burst of stupidity, spitting her scratch the back of her head with a shy giggle. Wrapping his arm around her with his right limb snaking around her nape from behind, the redheaded Karlo sister subtly leaning on her best friend with a content smile. Chuckling at the silly nickname he'd been given, Jason shook his head as El stood up straight. There was nothing more she could do to help him, healing wasn't much of her specialty anyhow. Going over to stand beside her son, the Detective stood at the flat lawn.
As the clouds above them began to settle, hiding the shining illumination of the sun as it began to rest and set behind the horizon. The sparkles and shade from the star reflected into the azure of his eyes, a crow was seen zooming past over the top of his face. It's wings spreading out wide, the sky turned to a shade of orange and pink. Everything he'd been working toward, August, Celine... his mother. Maybe all of this was wrong, twisted, maybe they were hypocrites for going through with such a plan. But none of that mattered.
He was free, if he'd disagreed with any of it, he was sure of it. His friends would help him... no one had control of him. The can dropped into his lap, irises darting to examine the man's feature, the snowy hair attached to the mount to his skull moving with the chilly air.
2057. Sitting side by side beside one another, the brothers in arms stopped for a moment. The silence had yelled among them all to stay quiet, it wasn't just them. Ella had stopped herself at the beauty of the sight to her front, Rose giggling loudly at the sight to Al's left. The duo of friends turned together, Jason removing his touch from Myers's arm.
The sunset, the orange-pinkish light moving and flickering. Not a building or skyscraper in sight, all that remained was the serenity of it. Rubbing her shoulder, the Lovers took his hand on her own, the side of her skull against the boy's straightened broadness. Jay took a second, standing and stepping over, using his smooth technique he'd used several times in the past. Wrapping his arm around the waist of his fellow speedster friend so she could be ensnared in his touch. She held no reaction, and instead, though his hand stood right on her behind, none of it mattered, she enjoyed it. The time she had with her family, the people she'd fought for, the people she had left.
Nuzzling closer so her cheek could rest on Jay's side as the group all admired the view before them, the memories of the past had flown into them. As the afternoon changed to the night, the shadows overtaking the light of the world so America would be engulfed into darkness. And though everyone readied to disconnect, right there, there was something even prettier than the fading sun.
The continuous rapid nature of the stars above adrift in the night sky, effortlessly moving with the gracefulness of light itself. Though the world beyond the space they were admiring was nothing that they envisioned, as long as they were all here, together...
None of it mattered. It truly was- beautiful.
There was nothing they could do to predict the future ahead, no one could see it, and though August had some sort of idea- he showed it with the nonchalant sip from the soda can. As long as everyone lived together, happily and free of the pain, as Celine lived... he would be content. Parting his lips for a moment, he began to lean to the right so his arm could meet his brother's. Azazel gradually titling his head so he could meet the eyes of his rival, he gawked at the heterochromatic pupils as he cheerfully spoke of the past,
"Remember when we first met? In that weird jazz club, right? I was late for a date with Celi, and we spoke about the idea of free will. All that time, the weeks I'd been stuck with your dumb ass in January, and I didn't notice any of it. The signs... the begging. For someone to recognize and help you. When I sleep at times, I dream of what could've been. Maybe if I'd realized it sooner, maybe if I invited you with her and I. Things would have been so different..."
"Riv... no, August.. the past is the past. We move forward with the will of those we've lost along the way and make a future for them to be proud of. We live for the future. There is nothing we could do but move forward. After all, you said it. No one else has the will to end this with you,"
Flashes of the past had entered his mind, remembering the time they'd clashed and he had stated that line so proudly. In the middle of everyone's remembrance, their souls and minds all had a similar sting as a familiar voice rang out to them. Among the branches of the tree that connected them all, their consciousnesses momentarily transported to this other world where their souls were stitched to. It wasn't just them. Those causing chaos and violently slaughtering those without regard for the lives they were taking, using these gifts for corruptive intent- for malicious deeds.
Their powers deactivated, falling over in confusion, the yelling rampant as Azazel stood with August. Arms in his pockets, the Reaper listened as Karlo looked with a quizzical look. The sight of his whereabouts visible in the sky, they could see... him. The first Requiem in thousands of years, the Emperor of Time towering over them all on the roof of his penthouse. The shadows of the night darkening his face so only the hue of his vibrant-tinted pupils would shine in the umbra shade, the depths of his vocals echoing endlessly in the vast intricately made minds of those he was communicating too, he spoke out...
"Listen to me. All those who'd been gifted with this power, the time has come. My name is Ben Rivera, I communicate to you all by way of the power gifted to me by my father. Over the vastness of these past few years, we've been experiencing a countless amount of useless labor. The humans and governments of the world believe us to be the tools they need to create a better world in the name of peace for each and every one of their respective nations. There is no doubt that the end goal for all of us, one way or another, would have been all-out war between the nations using their puppeteer'd meta humans! But I reject that. No one should have to live as slaves just for the sake of using their power for political reasons... we are the Apex Predators-!"
Humans living life normally, unaware of the flux of chaos in some abroad countries, turned their heads in confusion. A Japanese family casually chowing on breakfast on a kotatsu had the daughter rise as she heard an odd noise echoing out from the outside. The mother beckoned to her teenage girl, translated from Japanese to English,
"{Yua, sit back down, we need to finish eating so you can get to school,}"
She felt the horns prickle out of her temples, the mother and father feeling their bones contort and snap unnaturally as the tears fell from the corner of the young girl's eyes. Sniffling for but a moment, the voice of the Emperor rang on as she dug through her mother's purse. Locating a bunch of files that'd likely been brought from her work, their bodies lifeless as they levitated on the moving image. It's amazing how much technology had been advanced... all of these people violated and thought of as nothing but mere experiments for the government. Corruption ran rampant, this world needed a new empire to rise and rule over it all. No bias, no nothing, thinking truly for the people he'd have as subordinates. They would all be fitting.
Just then, the wave of psychic energy washed over the superhumans of Japan, their consciousnesses transported to this tree-wielding dimension. Her eyes drawn to the open clouds above her head, she recognized his build- the Number One threat to the Governments of the world's peace.
The very thing that the higher-ups of the nations on this planet had been worried about from the very beginning, had commenced. An Uprising. The Requiem Emperor of Time. His power is said to be unrivaled by anyone but his family members, the Requiem Reaper, the Hunter of Justice, the Empress of Light, and the Third Generation Student. The same age as her, not much information was known about his power or how strong he was.
There was only one thing that'd been leaked to the public, and that was his name, along with the circumstances of his speciality. The third of the Requiems to pop up in the last fifty years. Ben Rivera being the first to arrive in 2019-2020. Once his children was born, the technique of Absolute Concentration was embedded into their brains like nipples on a human.
His oldest, Emma Rivera, specialized in using her powers with freezing, being able to free even the air around her so that everything and everyone would immediately turn to frost from the inside out. Likely capable of committing other deeds with her deep arsenal of powers, there was no public information regarding that released to the masses of the world.
His youngest, Genesis Rivera, took after her aunt. Using light and neon-powered substances to her advantage to transport anywhere that held light. The darkness was a weakness, but because of her demonic blood and inherited a sort of shadow manipulation her other siblings didn't. Though she doesn't see much action along with her sister and cousins because of their overprotective mothers and fathers, she is one of the strongest in the family. Being able to use light and dark to her advantage, something not even her aunt and uncle could master at the same time.
But then there was the middle child, Augustus Benjamin 'August' Rivera. The balance of this world had shifted when he had sacrificed himself in 2036, the public had been told of the existence of superhumans. But that wasn't all, his return was all the more staggering, as he was one of the keys to reverting the world to back to normal after the Invasion of the Demons. Not to mention his very own father had demoted himself from the strongest, to being second best, after his son. None of the general media had even seen August wounded in a battle following his abrupt revival. The strongest creature in the multiverse, only second to the Author Himself.
And then there was the Third Generation Requiem, rumored to be the pupil of the Reaper. Alexander Amara. Besides his name and the fact he's the third in a lineage of powerful creatures, not much was known to everyone else of his abilities and otherwise. He had the potential to surpass even the Emperor, she couldn't even think about this youngling doing the same to his teacher- considering August had the blood of two Special Grade superhumans and that of an Outer God. He was Number One... no doubt about it.
These were legends she hadn't even fathomed of meeting or even seeing their physical bodies besides the news where they'd cover these events happening over in the States. The language directed into her mind was nothing she understood, however, the moment they were registered as gibberish, ready to be thrown away- they'd been translated. Not of her own hidden power, but of the Emperor's connection to all of their brains. Omni cells infused with demonic energy was how his power was awakened back during the Spread in 2012. Seeing as how Kuno had likely only utilized his home's source to splice their genetics, they were all human-turned-superhumans.
Thrown across the world, displaced after the events of the Reaper's sacrifice and the reveal of their existence. It was safe to say, Kuno ruined lots of peoples' lives. But it was fine... there he stood, tall and proud with the shining stars of the night behind him. The night agreed with the masses, now was the time for something new. The old ways had to perish with the past, the future was now.
"TODAY-! IS THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA! WE ARE THE NEXT HUMANS! ALL THOSE FILLED WITH SIN WILL BE ERADICATED AND SLAUGHTERED BY THOSE PURE AND JUST! THOSE CORRUPT LIVES RIDDLED WITH MALICIOUS INTENTIONS WILL SUFFER! UNTIL THIS WORLD AND ALL HORRIBLE CREATURES IN IT- ARE ELIMINATED!!"
The thunderous roar of applause echoed from the voids of their minds, their physical bodies inclined to move without hesitation. What more could they want? A new era where the Chief of this empire would be ruled by someone who truly understood them for who they were? This was that sight, the very thing he'd been searching for since the beginning of this cursed age of living. No more guilt, he was one of the most powerful creatures in this multiverse- why would he need to feel guilty? He could stop anything... right? As his arms rose to bathe in the loveliness of the aggrandizing claps echoing from the people's palms, his face held the expression of one thing he'd been searching for this whole time. Was he truly powerless, what memories... led him here..?
~When this all began, when I was put into that coma, there was nothing that seemed to be right. Nothing explicitly I remember except the vividness of the darkness I was surrounded by. The world that laid beyond- since the first moment I was born, my whole life had been controlled by the fate I was destined to. That goddamn excuse of a God, playing with my freedom, with my friends- my family: like it was all a game. Mom... Ryder... August. Was I truly so... powerless?
When I was young, I remember staring. Staring at the skies and wishing for something to change so my life would have some sort of meaning. The world around us changed rapidly, the threats grew larger and the corruption in humanity grew stronger. Golden palaces... blinding lights... the person who'd see it all; who'd reach the world beyond the clouds would be-
The freest person in the multiverse! Or at least- that's what I used to believe, when I was foolish; three years ago. But I'm here, I'm home, and though sacrifices had to be made for the sake of it; I wouldn't have it any other way. This is the end of the future I witnessed, I'd sought to end it... to end the vastness and destruction. The death, all of it. But that was the cost. Celine, Mother, Ryder... Henry- I apologize, truly. But this is the greatest thing in the world...
Finally, I've reached this spot, the power I'd sought out! From the moment we are all born, we are free!!!~
"I was special! The justice, the freedom-!! WE'VE FOUND IT TOGETHER, HAVEN'T WE, EVERYONE?! Right...-!"
And as he turned, sensing the familiarity of a relative's presence- there she stood. A worried look in the center of her brown optics, the tears dripping as he realized who she was... not an illusion. Not Artemis, this was real, and as he blurted out the final word, he unleashed a bawl into his palms as he fell forward,
"Mom?!"
Widening her eyes at the name she'd been given, Madi knelt to hug her brother close to her chest so he could rest. His plan went well, this wasn't the genocide of the human race. She knew that, those who remained pure-hearted and hadn't committed any sins would remain in this world, transformed to superhumans.. so no more humans would truly live in this world. They'd be reverted to the advanced species, this was- the cost. No more humans, no more corruption. No more racism, as everyone would house special abilities, they were all brothers and sisters in this new era. Madisyn huddled her brother close to her chest, so he'd fall unconscious, the roaring of thunder echoing in the clouds as her older brother appeared abruptly standing over his duo of younger siblings.
Turning so he could face the scraping Eiffel Tower, the cries of happiness still reached the peak of this Penthouse. Kneeling at the edge so he could stare down at them all, the Bounty Hunter gazed down with a pitiful stare as he examined their ant-like proportions from this high up. Without turning so he could face his female relative, he inquired of the woman quizzically,
"Do you think Mom would be proud?"
The words from the day she'd died echoed endlessly through the flavors of his mind to where they wouldn't stop. They only did when he did a slow blink, titling his head over and gasping in surprise. Suddenly, his brother had awakened, standing right beside him and gazing at the public praising him for the announcement he'd made just moments ago. To which he reassured with a content smile,
"She's gone. But we must honor her memory... and kill- him,"
For leaving and abandoning not only their dear mother, but for them as well. The possibilities are endless, what if he'd remained there? What would become of this world? Maybe she would've stood here, breathing and taking care of her grandchildren. But it was useless to think about hypotheticals- the future was now, and there he stood. Their father right then and there in all of his glory, manipulating the air around his soles so he could levitate. Holding a dead look in the center of his pupils as he stared emotionlessly at their grown bodies, the masses below screaming in confusion and fear at this newcomer in the air above their heads.
"Who's that?!"
"Is that one of us?!"
"What's he gonna do to Emperor Rivera?!"
If there was one thing he'd known with absolute certainty about his dead old dad, he would come alone to take the Requiems. That was a suicide mission not only for him, but for it spelt a mass murder and bloody scene for all those caught in the fight. But it never mattered anymore, his son had committed the gravest sin of all... cleansing. The same reason he'd hated and wanted to turn on his Father, his son- not just his son, his HALF-HUMAN son... had done this to the humans he'd believed were so interesting. There was nothing he could do, with all of his omnipotence, to change the past. The future ahead was unknown, he only had the power... to influence, the present.
"Allfather was right. Humans need to be enlightened, without control, the war will never end. Children of mine, stand, and fight for your Earth. For if we succeed, your precious planet-
Will perish,"
Back in the States, Group B excluding Jason, had gradually begun their stroll across the front lawn. Arms behind his head, August pushed his arms to the rear of his skull, inaudible conversations between him and Azazel with the teens following slowly behind. But the second they were about to step off of the grass, the ground exponentially heated at a rapid rate. The Reaper shielding everyone, there was a sudden wave of superheated plasma that burnt and charred the emerald blades of nature. A hole in the ground opening up so the dirt would crumble with the underground rocks breaking, everyone was warped to the right of this wormhole. Rose and Alex bending over so they could stare at the same time, the Reaper's eyes widened. The end of the future memory he'd been shown had reached, from here- it was all new territory.
The duo of the Reaper and Fool Detective yanked the hair of their student and sister so they'd fall back into their arms. Tumbling back so their bodies would roll against the remains of the lower platform, August laughed it off nonchalantly. None other than their mortal enemy, without the guise of the Poor Doctor, the Demiurge Itself. Hovering without a care in the world, the rock forming together so the hole would be put back naturally as if it'd never happened.
Rubbing Its chin, the Aether let out a humored laugh at the appearance of the teenage test subject. Amara stood with a flaming fist burning and crawling with the trademarked snowy lightning that snuck up his limb.
Though only two of them had revealed themselves, there was no doubt that the others had rebelled. The Author was here on Earth, and He isn't leaving without His grand prize.
Who will win?
The Requiem Warriors with their allies by their sides or the Angelic Forces of Heaven?
To Be Continued!
Synopsis for Chapter 63 of Heaven's Repent - Uraku faces off with his children in a bloody battle that includes the super powered civilians to aid their new Emperor. At the same time, the Aether goes into a final fight against the Requiem Reaper and his friends. In these battles... two souls are lost.
Next Chapter - Rain Goes On