Hi guys, XxSurViValXx, the author here, I just wanted to tell you guys about this prologue series before the main tournament. So I had the idea of explaining the characters and their backgrounds so you can actually get to know them and kinda understand their emotions and past before fighting. This tournament is a great way for me as an author to really introduce some of the characters apart from team insunya, most I think you'll find very interesting. I want the 'secondary' characters to be very well integrated into the story. And also I'll be writing in the third person for these since it's not Reid narrating someone's backstory. I hope you enjoy them.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manuel's Story
17 YEARS AGO
Chains clanked in the darkness of the holding cells. The screams of the woman in labor echoed throughout the prison.
"Hold on," The man sitting next to the screaming woman said. His face was dirty and scarred.
"Ahhh," The woman screamed, squeezing the hands of the man sitting next to him. The moon that shone through the window was the only source of light in the cell. The hard cement floor was uncomfortable and unbearable for the woman.
The nurse felt the head of the baby coming out. She felt a tingle of excitement that she rid in seconds.
"You're doing great Mrs. Maverick, keep on pushing," The nurse encouraged.
The woman, Mrs. Maverick nodded her head and screamed even louder and pushed harder. She felt a slight breeze on her face as she tried to catch up with her breath.
The newborn baby cried, but the noises coming out from the child was soothing to the new mother and father.
The nurse covered the baby in white cotton towels.
"It's a beautiful boy," The nurse smiled, giving the baby to the mom.
"You did it," The father said, with tears in his eyes. The chains on his hands prevented him from getting a hold of the child.
"He's so small," The mom said. Her eyes were filled with joy. The pain she had felt moments ago had faded away.
"I want to protect it," The father said, but he knew he couldn't, because, in a moment's time, he knows he was going to die. This was his last request before his awaited execution. To see his child be born.
The mother tried to move closer to the father of their child. He tried to move his hands to the baby, but only the chains could touch him.
The sound of the nightstick banging against the rusted cell bars made gave off an uneasy sound, which made the newborn baby cry out louder.
"My time is up," The father said.
"His name?" The mother asked, trying to keep calm. She had tears in her eyes, knowing the man she loved is about to die and she could do nothing about it.
"You've always loved the name Manuel, a name that represents protection, we shall be with him no matter what,"
"Manuel it is," The nurse repeated. "Will he carry your last name?"
The man in the rusty chains nodded.
"I will love you both, in spirit, and in death," Tears flooded his eye as he struggled to wipe them.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, should have thought abt your child before murdering a someone." The guard said coldly.
The father kept quiet, as he was tired of telling them they were innocent.
"You'll rot in hell, and she'll rot in prison," The guard hissed at him.
The man awaiting his death spat on the guard.
"Bastard," He said, wiping off the saliva on his father. He managed to keep his cool.
The guard dragged him out of the cell into the execution grounds. He was to be tortured to death, just like how he killed his victim.
The echoes of scream the prisoner gave off echoed throughout the entire prison. The wife cried and cried. She felt something stop in her body. Her body had become stiff and cold. Her head hit the hard concrete floor.
"Madame," The nurse cried out.
"Please," The dying woman said. "Take care of my boy,"
"You can't die, he needs you with him," The nurse cried.
But she had already passed, along with her dearest husband. The newborn baby had become alone five minutes into his life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A FEW YEARS LATER
The chains surrounding the young child cackled as they hit the ground. "I hate these chains." He always says. The kids in this neighborhood avoided him, they whispered and laughed at him. The adults cursed at him and insulted him. Even though he was from a noble family, he had no family. He was alone in the world. He lived on scraps and notes he'd find lying around. He'd tried to steal, but the cackles of the chains would aways give him off. He was alone in the world. He forced himself to stop crying, to him, it wasted precious water and he'd always be thirsty after crying. The sat alone in the alleyway, through the heat, the chilly winds, the snowy days, and the rainy days. He had built a small hut, but he didn't have enough money to pay for the high taxes. He was homeless and lonely.
"Those chains look quite heavy," An old woman stopped by him on a rainy day.
He was too hungry to look at the woman, nevertheless talk to her.
"You poor thing, you must be hungry," The woman handed him a loaf of bread.
The chains covered around the bread and took it out of the woman's hands.
"Whoa," She said, startled.
"Sorry if I scared you," The boy spoke. His clothes were torn and dirty. He'd eaten the entire bread in seconds.
"You must really hungry, come on," The woman covered him with an umbrella. It was the first time someone had been kind to him.
"I didn't do anything wrong, if I did, I'm sorry, don't take me to the men in suits, they hit me too much," Manuel cried out.
"I won't hurt you or take you to them, I'm taking you to my house, you'll need somewhere to sleep,"
"I always sleep here, and aren't you worried that I'll kill you? The people always say that to me,"
The woman shook her head. "There's nothing to gain if you kill an old woman like me,"
The chains around Manuel cackled as he got up.
He followed her into her car. He'd never been in a car before, the seats felt like heaven to him.
"What is your name?" The woman asked.
"It's Manuel, but some people also call me Maverick, that was my fathers' name they say,"
"And where are your parents,"
"They say they are in hell, rotting, I don't know that means though,"
"I'm madam Kell,"
"Can I call you grandma? The kids always call older people that,"
"Of course, whichever you want, Manuel," The woman smiled.
2 years later.
Manuel stumbled upon a picture of a boy posing with his grandma.
"Who is this boy grandma?" Manuel asked the woman in the living room.
"That's my son, he died in the war,"
"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up," Manuel frowned.
"It's okay my boy, he died knowing he protected his nation," She smiled. "You know, he always wanted to be the Paladin,"
"You mean the man with the jewelry and sword always on TV?"
"Yes, that was his dream, to be that, he went too soon," Tears flooded in the old woman's eyes.
"I'll become Paladin for you and him, and to show the world I'm no monster,"
"You're no monster, my boy,"
"I'll tame these chains and become a Sentinel and become Paladin, just you watch grandma and uncle, I'll do it for me, and the both of you. And protect liberty city."
2 years later.
The rain fell on top of Manuel. He stood next to the gravestone of his grandmother.
"I'm all alone again," He cried. "Not again please," He screamed at himself.
"But I'll keep my promise to you, I'll become a Sentinel and the Paladin, that I swear to you,"
Pain, anger filled his body, his eyes only say pain, but if you looked a little closer, you could also see the determination.