As a thumb stabbed its bone-breaking pressure into the index's rear, there was the satisfying audio of a joint snapping releasing outward. The glistening scarlet hue of Divergence solely shining, where only shadows reigned over in this hollow chamber, the kin of the Reaper took but a step onward out the darkness. Bolts of crimson light burst out from his covered skin, hoodie with shades of white illuminating from the ginger palette of illumination, where Griffith stood, right across from him. Deciding not to waste any more time before his window closed, the infinite space between him and the Hawk had abruptly disintegrated. Stray strands of scarlet light accompanied by thundering booms had appeared from under his soles, guiding him right toward his target. With only his hair glowing alight in this wonderful madness of spiraling shapes where only the night's shade reigned, the attacking eyes of Divergence had decided to glow that hue of murderous crimson with the way of his hips; gliding among the ground,
'This speed…'
Aided by a hint of familiarity in the center of his eyes, Griffith had soon vanished from where he formerly stood, while Ace had sprinted right through his afterimage; lines of red light bounced all around this blackened area. Now standing in the corner of the chamber, his hand simply flipped so the palm could face the sky, thus manifesting a book right above his textured skin, Caucasian white in complexion,
'Angelic Glow. Minus 5 Mana,'
A single phrase in the book had lit up with a white glow, fading thereafter, his wings, resembling that of a hawk, glowed a similar shade. Illuminating the room to protect from ambushes, thuds of feet attacking the ground from side to side darted around Griffith stumbling through the dark,
'I used this ability to light my way through this darkness, but I can barely see, even still. This kid is just like his dad,'
Those discouraging thoughts running as fast as a marathon's length in the back of his mind, Griffith's eyes only caught mere glimpses out the corners of his enemy's figure. Determined features only momentarily visible, stretched-out future of his hoodie's white shade, accompanied by the most menacing sight imaginable. For when that red blur had just passed by his face with a raised palm, tips of fingers cracking with resounding shockwaves shaking the very foundation of the chamber they were imprisoned within, there was the horrifying sight.
Those orbs of red encircled by the maddening sensation of hatred, yet that feeling had not only been absorbed inward by the soul. In truth, it had engulfed the heart, seeping into his bloody veins to crack his bones all at once, a demonic growl had sent chills down Griffith's back as he was slammed right in the chest by the front fist sending reverberations through his chest. Shockwaves originating right from that center impact fully spread out, Hannibal, in the split second before he went flying back… could feel 12 of his 24 ribs crack, all at once.
Fragments of red lightning fell out his knuckles, the roof peeling back to reveal the sunny day of September 3rd, Ace turned his head as they all came leaking inside. Lady Silk most urgently with other workers wearing butler-like suits following soon, while Katie and Kima ran to their mutual,
"Didja have to go so hard like that?" Kim asked with her arms crossed over her chest, peering over his tall shoulder to spot his subordinates attending to him.
Meanwhile, Ace hadn't even a care in the world; he hadn't even faced the two girls that'd come to see him. Instead, the pulsating sounds of dread through the clouds surrounding the sun's heat usually unique to that of thunderstorms in the most somber of hours had abandoned its lightning comrade. Solely enveloping his entire being with more bolts cracking outward from parts on his body every few seconds, Wilder felt his bones release a satisfying crack as his veins widened,
"I have two months to train before the Deck appears. I don't doubt that if I spend 12 hours sleeping and 12 hours training until that day, I'll be able to reach my peak until I'm in my mid-20s. There remains only one… Katie, what is your training regiment going to be?"
Turning his head so their eyes could meet just then, Katie couldn't escape this sinister intensity. The way spiders pick apart the flesh of their prey when caught in their webs, it was something like that; little prickles making holes in her flesh so only mere milligrams would pour out from the stabs. On the verge of something like passing out entirely from this abrupt headache, she shook her head with fingers over her temples,
"You okay?" Asked her ginger cousin of the younger girl, to which he nodded with a hum in her vocals, letting them thrill as she moaned in response,
"Fine. Your aura… is intense. Turn it off, please," Kate requested kindly, given an understanding nod back at her.
After her request, the bolts of lightning; not to mention the energy aura with scarlet coloration, had decided to fade in accordance for his relative's betterment. Kim rubbing her shoulder and Ace apologizing under his breath, Katie smiled at them both, reaffirming the two of them. Even now, she couldn't believe where she was. Surrounded by people, one she could call a friend- another she could deem family. These rays of light she named her allies…
"Do you mind if I tell you while we get lunch? I'm kinda hungry…" Admitted the Crow's daughter, and just then, Kima's stomach grumbled with Ace's doing the same in unison,
"Yeah, I need meat on my bones," Commented Ace scratching his nape, a gesture accompanied by a sheepish chuckle,
"That's just… disgusting," Kima added to the conversation between them, to which Katie had a question appear over her head as Ace smugly grinned,
"Oh hush, tree-eater. Trust me, you of all people need more meat on those bones, baby,"
"He's not wrong,"
"Hush, both of you… this is abusive,"
As the trio exited the vicinity of this facility, Griffith's shape in the wall he flew into had released the victim. The tie that'd kept his hair into a long strand of ponytail streaming down his back had all but been destroyed, meanwhile, Silk helping him on the right with his shattered arm had suddenly felt something. All of a sudden, his eyes had met her own, and she couldn't help but squeak out of fear. Unnaturally, his arm started to slide out her grip, bones unsnapping so they could twist back to their healed origins,
"Sir…?"
The workers wearing those suits couldn't help but wear frightened expressions over their faces, for when his knees touched the ground, palms stabbing against the metal platform… his wings stabbed into the air behind him. Ends as soft as a marshmallow had curved to like that of a demon's claws, Silk taking another crawl away from her superior officer, all the while, with Hanniel's face covered, both rows of teeth slammed down against one another,
"That kid… is far beyond anything I've seen this far in this new realm of beings. He can surpass not only his father but reach the level of his grandfather, as well."
Griffith's defensive measures retracted the moment his voice filled this area, legs aiding in his ascent, cracking more of his sore joints in the process. Lady Silk shuffled over to his side, one of her many legs with extended length brushed over his chest as if this were her third eye. Peering through this layer of flesh and skin, she could witness all the cracks formed over the dozen bones that'd previously been effectively destroyed… vanish. As if they were never even there in the first place.
'God's Blessing. Minus 200 Mana.'
"However, I have no doubt he's the type of person he says he is. He wishes to be useful, he's determined to put an end to those he's targeted, but I cannot tell the reasoning. He has a strong sense of justice, so he won't hurt innocent people, not as long as they don't get in his way. But her... That cousin of his. Katie Moon wields unbridled darkness within her soul that is contained solely by the people she surrounds herself with. I could feel it pouring out when we first met, but it's contained- because she's surrounded by them. If that darkness reaches out, its fangs shall even graze that of…"
Silk curiously stared at him, as if anticipating what dangerous action he was seconds away from suggesting. But instead, he turned his head to her, and with sweat mercilessly dripping out every invisible pore present on his face, without hesitation or any sense of regret audible in his vocalization, he said it,
"Before that darkness reaches its penultimate conclusion, the height of its power… destroy it. Or, if you're too dense to comprehend what I'm saying: when Katie Moon is alone, far out of the range of Eternal Sight, kill her."
In the cesspool of the City's towers, railroads shattering the sound barrier daily, past that beginning area where the Hawk's Nest stood- teeth sunk into a burger. Katie didn't even take a second to enjoy the taste, she just kept moving her teeth again and again into the bun, letting all the taste of the juicy meat sing onto her tongue. Seething warmth from this feast sending a cuddling feeling throughout her taste buds, meanwhile, Ace crunched on a single fry,
"You're all so horrible. Do none of you realize this was made with cows? They KILLED them for this!" Kim's declaration had earned her hateful glares burning off Ace and Katie's eyes, one hand holding a chicken tender inching closer to her lips,
"Wha… mmh," The chicken was shoved into her mouth, and unable to prevent this, she accepted it wholly, though reluctantly from the way she closed her eyelids over her purple eyes,
"How's it?" Ace's nose stood mere centimeters away from her face, duo streams of breath darting out his nostrils, Divergence's scarlet glow stabbing deep to her heart… goosebumps manifesting from the depths to appear over her pale skin.
In the end, she was right in the face of the beast, he who could tell just from an irregular heartbeat if she were lying or not, so what other choice awaited her? Nothing left but to swallow her pride hesitantly, and admit, despite everything she believed in:
"It… was delicious."
Back at the Nest, just entering the front door, Katie was the last with the other toe conversing with joking tones audible as they bickered. Ace getting hit in the elbow once more, before stretching out his limbs to enjoy the cool condition of the air once the doors shut behind his cousin. Wilder twirling the bag around his finger with a hum, just walking by the sofa had placed the plastic baggage on one of the cushions, Kim plopping right down there.
Tears at her eyes' corners, legs twitching, body vibrating with a satisfying yawn discharging out her throat, Kim started to raise her arms to the air. The chandelier's plentiful golden lights shining against her pale complexion to mimic a more tanned tone, Ace shed himself of his white hoodie so he could stay now in a black tee, revealing his muscles.
"Were you always so tan?" Inquired Kate of her older cousin, to which he turned his head up at the question, chuckled, and shook his head,
"Nah, I've been working out more. Yesterday, after breakfast, I went to the roof and worked out more. Speaking of which, you didn't answer my question about the training regiment… but- I want to make one thing clear before you answer."
Ace took a seat across from her on another sofa, the one Kim was seated on and decided to spread out his legs. Arms resting on those limbs, the way his pupils darted, it was clear. Maybe this wasn't the right thing to say, he thought. After all, he didn't wanna make her feel like her desires were invalid, and that she was a nuisance, but then again, one of the things he'd hated the most was…
"I hate being in debt to people. I'm a giver, I don't like receiving. Not in this context, at least. I want to make sure this is something you WANT to do and not feel obligated to, just because I helped you. Tell me, do you really wanna go on this mission with me..?" Ace had given Katie a choice of freedom, which had effectively shattered her reasoning just from the way she widened her eyes immediately at the inquiry.
But this was an easy choice, just say yes! For some odd reason, it was almost like something had stabbed her throat, a sinking feeling had suddenly infiltrated her stomach, for the unavoidable dread of hurling was inevitable. She could already taste it, somehow. She'd only eaten three items, but she could already feel the fragments just about to spew outward. But just as she was about to puke out her innards, something was stopping her; a subconscious awakening. While this feeling of unimaginable anticipation had enveloped her entire inner being, on the outside, she just stared ahead with the best poker face the world had ever seen.
'What's happening? Why aren't I… I thought I'd be crying at the pain- at this irritating anticipation. But I'm just staring ahead without a care in the world. Is it because… the pain isn't real?'
For some odd reason, with a single inhalation through her nostrils, and the smoothest exhalation following it- the feeling had all but faded. Right in front of her, she had the freedom of making a choice, of not being indebted to anyone. Had she been lying to herself about wanting to be by her cousin's side, just to aid him in this new goal of his? In the end, he must've seen through the delusion, but he still stood with her despite the chimeras of loyalty she'd falsely perpetuated. Ace's desire to be useful in the world, seemed so lofty just on the surface, however, the truth was so much more widespread than that simplicity.
In reality, she could never know the truth of why he was so persistent- no… why he was so DETERMINED to accomplish this goal. In the end, it was just that, his goal. She could never reach up to the amount of motivation she had about it, she was her person, so…
"I… did think I owed you this. You helped me realize who I am, that I need to accept who I am and what happened to me to become the person I wanna be. But I think I have to find my path, my strength to return to the Island and challenge Callum at his twisted game. One path- outside of your own."
Kate's words were fresh for him, it just let that warm smile she'd seen on her father just days ago reappear over her cousin's lips. He couldn't help but do it, stand up from where he was formerly seated, and step on over to her, with his arms stretched out to wrap around her body. It felt so hollow at the start like surrounded in a barren wasteland of cold where the snow would always fall without falter, limitless chills. But… now… was this what she lived for? To have those arms of someone she loved to wrap around her, all because they were proud of her for accepting who she was and the freedom she held in her hands?
"Do your best, Kate. We'll be right here waiting for you when you come back!"
From then on, a new path had stretched outward for her, one where she didn't have to be connected with anyone. It was odd, though. She hadn't said a word, and he already knew she planned on leaving the City to go overseas somewhere else… maybe it was a coincidence? She shrugged it off. Possibly just an easy assumption, she thought. Unfortunately, there was one variable she'd forgotten, and that was the simplicity of Ace's eyes.
Divergence and Convergence both had the subconscious about seeing across wide distances, spot the flow of energy auras, advanced perspective, and… enhanced hearing. The radius of these abilities was a spherical imprisonment invisible to all ranging from about 100 meters, with Ace or June being the center. However, this is the base, and the mere enhancements that add to the increase aren't accounted for. Meaning that, while Divergence has increased its perceptive range from 100 to more, thanks to Ace's training over the past two days, the approximate is unknown.
'Before that darkness reaches its penultimate conclusion, the height of its power… destroy it. Or, if you're too dense to comprehend what I'm saying: when Katie Moon is alone, far out of the range of Eternal Sight, kill her.'
Unfortunately, accidentally, the true colors of the Hawk had been revealed, and now that Katie had decided to go away for the time being; his mission was clear. What did Griffith mean when he said that 'darkness' would reach the fangs of another… could it be true? That his assumption from the beginning was right all along, and that Hanniel Griffith's true face was that of-
A Deck member?