[Abraham POV]
As I started towards the translucent screen in front of me, the counter which in a fraction of a thousand of a second continued to dwindle down. The time apparently slowed down for me. I am dying and a video game-like screen pops up in front of me and asks me to choose if I want to be a "guide". I cannot even think straight.
But everything would be over if I died right. So, for now, I would take this second chance.
I choose /~[Yes].
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[You have chosen to be "Guide"]
[Recovery process shall start now]
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[...]
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[May the blessing of truth be with you]
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[Krown POV]
I, the great demon of lust "Krown" has managed to descend so early than those other trashes, how can there be a matter worth celebrating than this? I shall thank this human boy by eating him. Yes, yes...
Just as I was about to bite the head of the human food, its aura changed. My battle-honed sense told me to run off immediately from this. But as I hesitated just for fraction of a second, the next thing I knew I got embedded in the wall behind me, and the hand, which I was using to hold the boy's neck, now was torn off from my elbow.
-"Curses... My hand"
I cursed clasping my bleeding elbow. It shall take some time to grow it back, I would be vulnerable meanwhile.
-"Guide us along the Straight Path,
The path of those whom Thou hast favoured;
Not the path of those who earn Thine anger
nor of those who go astray.
...
Such was revealed the truth"
Sounds came from the boy, whose eyes were still shut and his whole body is now glowing with green fiery radiance. This is obviously not the human boy from before.
-"Who are you? What do you want? Let me go and in return, I shall grant you unimaginable pleasure and strength."
- "You obviously far too gone to reason with, so vile that you put your hands on mere children. To think I would be forced out of my slumber by such abomination... It has been quite some time since I have come in contact with something this grotesque."
As a katana appeared in its right hand, it, at last, opened its eye, which shook my very soul. Those eyes contain something that is the bane of all creatures that choose to be evil, "the purifying fire" that no demons of The Other Realm can resist. It was nearly as strong as 'him', only the polar opposite. Just looking at it made my whole body freeze with fear. No, this cannot be it. I cannot die here, I must flee... I must warn the...
-"As an inhabitant of the Other World, for your transgressions, by the source of all Truth... be gone..."
~/shinnnggg/~
The last thing I heard before my thought stopped was the quick draw of the katana...
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[Abraham POV]
As I opened my eyes, I found myself in a hospital bed. Mom was doing something on the table of the cabin. She promptly looked towards me when she heard the noise of my movement.
-Son, you are awake? Nurse... my son is awake.
My mom hurriedly called for available professionals.
She rushed towards me seeing I am getting up, she tried to lay me down again...
-Don't get up, you are still weak.
-I feel alright actually.
-No way, you have been senseless for nearly 60 hours. Lay down and take proper rest.
Wow, that long? No wonder she is so tense. But what happened, how am I here anyway? The last thing I remember is I got impaled to a rod, was about to die, was about to get my head chewed by a demon-looking creature, and then... Ohhh, scrap baskets...
-Mom, how am I here?
-You don't remember anything?
-last thing I remember was going to Mr. Ted's office for some private lesson he 'generously' offered.
I said with bitterness. I don't like to lie, especially to mom. But for one, I don't know who else is listening to us. This is a public place. And two, she most likely wouldn't believe me anyway and that is agreeable. She answered with a half-satisfied, half-relieved look
-I guess that would be for the best considering what might have happened there. But those guys would be very disappointed.
-Who?
I asked curiously. As if in the queue, a nurse and a doctor entered our room along with a middle-aged African-American man wearing a black trench coat and an eyepatch. Looks like his left eye was scratched by some feline... or so it seems from the scratch mark. By the way, he is bald and has a goatee. He literally smells of paranoia. Like, on the level of a housewife who thinks her husband is cheating on her with her sister... and aunt. I did not want to look at his huge, shining bald head... since it would be offensive. But I cannot. The reason? I seem to continue to hallucinate from the near-death experience as above his shining head a translucent screen hovered and there was something written on it with yellow letters.
[Nicholas Joseph Fury] [Lv. 46]
[Title: The Most Paranoid and Dangerous Man on the Planet... and others]
[Class: Spy Master]
[Job: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. ... and others]
Yeah, nothing more dangerous than a suspecting housewife. Everyone should better watch out from him. There was another easygoing caucasian man following him in black formal attire holding onto some files. He also has a screen over his head.
[Phillip J. Coulson] [Lv. 37]
[Title: The Man with The Plan]
[Class: Spy coordinator]
[Job: S.H.I.E.L.D agent]
-Hey, you can't barge in like that.
Mom shouted
-Mam, please don't shout. And you, I told you. You can't interrogate a patient until he is examined and declared to be out of danger.
-Oh, he looks pretty fine to me. Besides, we won't get in your way and just ask a couple of regulation questions. Nothing too heavy.
The eye patch man said to the doctor. Then he looked towards me and asked in as friendly as possible tone.
-How are doing, sunshine? You feeling alright?
-Hey, don't ignore me. Even if you are with the government you can't barge in like this.
Mom became persistent. {Wrong move mom. That guy isn't going anywhere without getting what he wants.} I thought inwardly as I shook my head.
-I am feeling alright. Thank you for asking, Mr.?
-Nick Fury is the name. I am with the government. You are quite sharp for your age Mr. Abelson.
-You are with the CIA?
-Close, but not quite. But that is not what is important now. The important thing is, what can you tell us about what happened?
Mr. Fury asked me giving me a scrutinizing look. I told him what I told mom. You have to be consistent to be believable. I hope buy that and leave us alone.
After probing me with a piercing glare for some time, Mr. Fury said,
-Look, Mr. Abelson. It would be better for all of us if you could remember some more. because we have an explosion of an unknown kind, that didn't come from any kind of explosives, and had an unknown energy signature, turn your teacher, Mr. Ted, into fine meat paste splattered everywhere while you, the only witness and survivor of the incident, are mostly unharmed. You are bright for your age. Do you see the problem?
-I don't remember, I really don't remember.
I acted like a scared kid covering my ears and holding onto my head.
-Hey THAT'S ENOUGH. Is that a way one should speak with a traumatized child? He is 13 for God's sake. We haven't even told him anything about the incident. You cannot act like that.
This time the doctor barked. Mr. looked at everyone in the room. The doctor and nurse were angry, mom looks like she would skin him alive, while Mr. Coulson was shaking his head with disapproval.
-I apologize young man. I guess I went a little overboard. I would send agent Coulson here for some follow-up in case you remember something. Thank you for your time.
Leaving those words behind Mr. Fury left promptly.
-I offer my sincerest apology for his behavior. In his defense, we are looking at a probable terrorist attack, so we are on the edge a little. Please be understanding.
Mr. Coulson said to mom. In response, she just harrumphed and looked away.
-In case, your son remembers something, please give me a call. This is my number. I shall take my leave then. Take care Mrs. Ableson. And you too, lad. Goodbye.
Handing mom his card and leaving some good words, Mr. Coulson left.
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[Nick Fury POV]
-Was that really necessary, sir?
The rookie asked while he drove.
-What?
I answered feigning ignorance.
-We already did a thorough background check on the whole family, sir. All of them are clean. You knew that.
-If you have seen what I have seen, then you would have understood... What can be seen in the appearance can always be a false image. Besides, I like to trust my own instincts, the moment I looked at the boy...
-What sir?
-I just hope it's only my paranoia. Just in case, put a level 1 surveillance on the family.
-For how long?
-As long as I don't instruct to remove it.
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[Abraham POV]
Well, that worked better than I expected. I wasn't expecting someone like that kind of title to give up this easily.
{Now with that gone, what do I do with this?}
I thought to myself, as I looked at the screen hovering over my mom's head.
[Ameelah Windsor Ableson] [Lv. 29]
[Title: The woman who chose to not choose]
[Class: Free from weapon handler.]
[Job: Legendary Housewife.]
Wow, looks like Mom knows how to handle weapons. Well, she is a physically active person, and I heard dad used to teach her how to handle firearms. I never took them seriously though. Looks like there was more to it. Who knew!
{That aside, why is that there in the first place? Probably, it has something to do with that screen that appeared before I was about to die. Every time I look at it, I feel like I am dreaming. Wait, am I? What about that other dream about that guy? If I am real, then was that life real too?}
While sitting at the dining table, I pondered while releasing a big sigh like an old man. I was released from the hospital at noon when the doctor found absolutely no problem with my health.
Hearing my sigh, mom asked from the kitchen counter,
-What happened honey? Why feeling down?
-Mom, if you ever found out that I have changed to be a different person. Would you still love me?
Hearing that mom left behind whatever she was doing and came to my side at the table. Clasping my jaws with her hands, she made me face her and said,
-What kind of question is that? You would be my dear son no matter what you become. I would be hurt if you do anything questionable. Because that would mean I would be a failure of a mother, failing to guide you through your life. But I would never stop loving you. I would love you till my last breath.
Hearing that I left a sigh of relief. Even I don't know why I asked that question. I guess I was more scared at the fact that if she knew the changes in me, she would consider me a freak and push me away. That probability is still not out of the window, but through my enhanced sense I can feel her deep love for me.
-So, what happened that you asked such an unusual question? What could make you doubt my love for you, son? You can share anything with me.
-It is... nothing worth mentioning. I love you, mom. I hope I never have to leave you.
I said hugging mom. {What happened to me, why am I being so emotional all of a sudden}. I thought to myself.
-Silly boy, once you grow up to be a fine young man, you won't be able to wait for leaving this old lady behind and fly off on your own with some nice-looking young lady.
-Hmph, I would never. There is nothing good about women anyway.
-Fu fu fu, that's what they all say at first.
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The next day, I woke up and opened up my PC. Our school is closed indefinitely due to the explosion. Mom is thinking me of transferring to a different school. Just as I was about to click open a game, that translucent screen popped up again in front of my vision field.
[You have received 3 messages.]
~/[Open mail box]
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A.N. :
~/ [means this is a button]
{means this is inner thought}
[Means this is a system message except for POV change.]