[Essence of Defyence]
His hand felt the solid ground for what felt like an eternity. The image of the carnage became a distant memory. He had been in between the planes for so long, stretched as thin as possible. He sat up straight to catch his breath.
He looked up to his father, hair bleached white and eyes burning red. He was mirroring his own father. Something that couldn't be done unless anointed.
Both stared at one another until their attention went to the stranger in the middle. Sharing their unique features, he felt dazed and alarmed. "What happened?" The stranger asked, his scarf blowing in the wind.
"I am not quite sure. The world itself has been altered," The father replied, turning back to his son. "Son, what did you do?" he asked.
His child climbed onto his feet, raised his hand, and pointed at himself.
...
[Ten years later... APR 11]
[New Orleans/ Lakeshore/ Hoyaga Real Estate Apartment complex No: One / Afternoon]
Oliver stared at the wooden door of his new apartment. It felt like a trap, and his heart was left hanging. From the moment he landed in New Orleans, he had only a backpack and a pendant around his neck.
Unlike the rest of the white plaster doors, the one in front of him was made of dark greenish wood from the [OtherWorld]. This was done to keep the [Shifter] separated from the humans so they would not wander to somewhere they didn't belong.
He twisted the door nob and pushed open the door.
Inside, it was mostly empty. Straight ahead was a hallway, with the kitchen on the right side and the empty living room in the front. From the living room, two more doors on the left led to one bedroom and one bathroom.
He found piles of boxes inside his room, all his stuff already there. Other than that, his bed and other furniture were unassembled. He dropped his bag off his shoulder and began settling in.
...
Discipline was built in Oliver by his father, and it was not optional. Everything needed to be unpacked neatly and organized immediately. From his clothes to the wooden carved figures on his shelf.
Then came the bed and the rest of the furniture. Fiddling with the wood and bolts and assembling it took most of the time. Finishing touches were his alarm clock and a lamp on the bedside table. At last, place the mattress on the bed and cover it with a new bedsheet and pillows.
Soon, he stopped and sat on his bed, staring off into the hallway. There was too much silence, so much that he didn't recognize this place anymore. What has changed in the last ten years? Why was he starting to get cold feet after all this time?
He stared at his phone. Two faces were plastered across the screen. It was him and Lyra; there she was, as always she had been. But this didn't concern her, and he wasn't going to get her involved in his plans.
Only a window opened to view the other apartment across the street, and the lake breeze settled into his apartment.
...
He stepped out to take in the view and fresh air. He stumbled around, walking down the silent walkway around the apartment building toward the lakeshore.
Looking around, as it should be, humans were all around him, about their own business. They laughed, giggled, and lied, just enough for them to be born and fed. The formless dancing shadows quietly followed them around, sticking on their backs or hiding in the trees or around the corners.
The [Shifters] called them Creeps, a weak and lesser form of monster from the [Otherworld]. They are born from the desires and emotions of humans and [Shifters] alike. Sometimes, they may even grow up to be a threat.
Hearing the soothing sounds of crashing waves on the shoreline. Oliver Stopped and admired the view of the muddy and dark waters. The fresh smell of moist soil made the scene endearing. Flashes of a missed childhood crept in momentarily, just before he shook them off.
His hand moved up, grabbing the pendant around his neck. The key to success in all of his future.
Out of the ambient sounds came the hurried footsteps approaching Oliver. "Hey, you there," a confident voice called out.
The familiarity of the voice crashed into his head like a truck. He turned around nervously, finding a girl standing on the other side of the walkway fence under the light of the lamp post.
"Is your name Oliver?" she asked with certainty in her voice. Upon sight of her, Oliver's eyes widened, and a smile crept from the corners of his face. She was wearing the dark blue uniform of Hoyaga Academy, the one in the center of Hoyaga Estate. Just a dark navy blue coat on a white T-shirt and black tracksuit trousers. Quickly, Oliver calmed down his nerves before speaking. "Yeah, I am, and who might be you?".
"My name is Gwen, and I am here on behalf of the headmaster of the Academy and the member of the Council to give you this," Gwen said, pulling a red card out of her coat pocket. She walked across the fence, handing out the card.
There is always something unique about those who came here from the [Otherworld]. She was a [Shifter] with long, bright blue hair with a slight shimmer and light blue eyes to go with them. Oliver took the card from her hand without a moment of hesitation.
A dark red card with his picture on the front and a small label reading "visitor pass." Being nothing more than an order of appearance before the Council or its members.
"The headmaster will be waiting for you after the morning timing. You will find her in the main building. Do you have any questions?" Gwen asked while crossing her arms.
Oliver looked up at her and smiled. "None," he said as he threw the visitor card over his shoulder into the lake behind him. Quickly, Gwen flinched, quickly raising her finger at it.
[Sub-Ability Activated] [Barrier Creation...Cube]
Her eyes flickered with a luminous glow as a neon cube appeared around the card, catching it in mid-air.
Oliver started at the vibrating plates of neon blue forming into a cube, holding the card. Causing him to grin.
"Excuse me? What the hell was that?" Gwen shouted angrily. "Sorry, my hand slipped," Oliver replied. "Anyways, tell her that I am not interested," Oliver said, turning around, putting his hands into his pocket, attempted to walk away.
"What do you think you are doing?" Gwen yelled, but Oliver ignored her.
[Barrier Creation...Wall]
And then he stopped. He saw a neon wall forming in front of him. He took a moment to stare at the wall, curiously traced his hands on it, and then knocked on it. "It feels solid, like concentrate," he commented.
"Are you trying to pick a fight with me?" Gwen asked, and Oliver turned around and looked at her. "I just moved here today, and I am quite exhausted, so can you not?" Oliver replied with all the intention in the world to irritate her.
"Firstly, Nola herself sent me, and secondly, I don't care whether you are interested. You are being summoned by a member of the Council; this is not a request," Gwen explained with a raised voice.
Oliver only grinned, amused. But before he could say another word, an alarm blared. "A Conflict Detected. A Conflict Detected. A conflict detected," a voice sounded in the air.
[Ability Activated] [Spatial Manipulation]
Both looked around, seeing humans in the vicinity beginning to vanish as brilliant light plucked them from the streets.
Eventually, Oliver and Gwen were left alone, with one remaining person in the distance—a man wearing a hoodie standing alone on the silent road, finally making himself known.
"A Friend of yours?" Oliver asked. "No, he is not," Gwen quickly replied, walking onto the streets, followed by Oliver. The stranger also approached, keeping one hand inside his pockets. Coming into view, he pulled off the hood covering his head, revealing a bald head and his eyes emitting a burning glow.
Gwen squinted and stared at his face, not recognizing the man. "Who... are you? Which Household are you from?" Gwen yelled at him. But the man turned his attention immediately to Oliver.
"Him. I am here for that guy behind you", the man replied. "Oh, look at that. Finally, grew some balls to talk to me. Here I thought I had a stalker for the rest of my life," Oliver replied. "Ah, wisecrack, huh! Let's start with that fucking tongue of yours", the man said, opening his zipper and pulling out a crystal ball.
"I think you should reconsider what you are about to do," Oliver said, taking his hands out of his pockets. "Wait, hold on?" Gwen yelled at both of them. "You are in the Council's state. I hope you understand you will not be able to walk away from this if you harm the person behind me," Gwen explained.
"Are you really gonna go with that?" Oliver asked her while the man's eyes snapped his attention toward her as well.
"Agent of Council?" the man said as his lips curled up in a smile, "Mind your god dame business, will ya! wouldn't you agree, Oliver?".
"Yeah. could you step away for a moment?" Oliver said looking back at Gwen. "Why don't you, shut it," Gwen snapped back.
[Ability Activated] [Elemental Crystal Ball...Lighting Node]
The stranger raised his crystal ball, and it began emitting electricity. "Lord's Rings" escaped Oliver's mouth.
[Lord's Rings]
Five golden rings appeared on Oliver's right hand, with golden chains going down to his wrist and attached to a golden band around his wrist.
The Moment of calm lasted a few precious seconds as the stranger released a canon of scorching electricity with a boom across the road toward Gwen. While a wall of neon blue formed in front of her. A bright flash and the sound of falling lightning connected with the wall of the barrier.
Oliver quickly grabbed Gwen and shoved her to the side, raising his ringed hand towards the incoming blast. The electricity instantly broke through the barrier wall and crashed into Oliver's hand.
[Passive Weapon Ability] [Elemental Immunity]
For a moment, catching the current in his before pushing it to his side. This caused it to arc across the railing and onto the lake, where it vanished. For a moment, darkness came over the streets as the discharge caused the lamps to flicker.
Gwen quickly pulled herself up, "What the hell is wrong with you!?" she yelled, dusting his back. "How about I take care of this, and you stay on the side?" Gwen nodded while rolling her eyes. She was not quite sure what she had seen Oliver do.
However, the stranger clicked his tongue, locking his eyes with Oliver. He recognized that his ability offered him some immunity to the element. "So, what does an Imperium outcast want from me?" Oliver asked, stepping forward.
"Simply to cause panic," the stranger replied. While Oliver broke into a sprint, making it for the stranger, startling him.
[Ability Activated] [Elemental Crystal Ball... Fire Node]
The crystal ball shifted to emitting fire, "Well, you are not making it as simple as it should be," the stranger yelled, blasting two moats of fire at Oliver.
[Earth Creation]
He moved his ringed hand upward in response, causing the pavement to jut out into a pillar right from underneath his feet, launching him over the fire.
Gwen quickly made a barrier before herself and on the side, protecting herself from the heat and fire. Meanwhile, Oliver began dropping right at the top of the stranger, searching out his arm in an attempt to grab him. The man panicked again.
[Ability Activated] [Elemental Crystal Ball...Wind Node]
The crystal ball shifted, blasting a torrent of violent wind from underneath him, quickly launching back and away. Oliver clenched his teeth.
[Wind Creation]
A short burst of wind released from his hand, helping him land properly.
[Barrier Creation... Walls]
A sudden barrier formed behind the stranger, and with a loud thud, the man crashed his skull against the Barrier, forcing an abrupt stop to his retreat. Quickly, two other walls of neon formed on his side, trapping him. Gwen smirked. "There you go, caught him," she yelled.
"Yeah, good job," Oliver said as he raised his ringed hand.
[Lighting Creation]
A lightning bolt appeared. The stranger pulled himself up against the barrier, seeing Oliver throw the lightning bolt like a javelin. The stranger brought up his crystal ball and shifted it to the appropriate element; it absorbed the blast.
However, the shock rang out, numbing the stranger's hands and giving Oliver enough time to reach out and place his hand on the crystal ball.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Weapon Manipulation...Take Over]
Suddenly, the crystal ball went silent, and in that silence, both men stared at each other. Confused at first, the Imperium outcast had a particular ability to manipulate a certain object and its aspects. He quickly realized that he had lost control over his own object as the crystal ball shifted to emitting electricity. Looking up at Oliver, seeing the burning sliver glow in his eyes told him of his folly.
He was well aware of the ability of Battlebornes, the ability to control and manipulate weapons. However, he had not considered that what he was carrying could be considered a weapon. "You thought of it as one, not me," Oliver whispered as a blot of electricity blasted with a boom. Lunching the man through the barrier. He crashed into the pavement and barreled across it. Regardless of his own immunity to the elements of his choosing, coming to a stop out cold, having hit his head,
Oliver settled down, straightening his back and throwing the crystal ball to side, causing it break into pieces. "Well that takes care of that," Oliver said.
"Go check if he is still alive!" Gwen shouts from behind. As soon as moves his attention towards Gwen, his eyes catches the shadows moving across the road.
Oliver turned back around to see a large body of shadows sprinting for the man and collecting around him. Gwen ran up to Oliver in time to see two pairs of arms reach out from the shadows and grab the man, dragging him within and then dissolving into the ground.
"What the hell?" Gwen comments. Seeing this, Oliver sighed, "Oh well, I'll see you later," and turned around to leave. "You still haven't taken the dame card, now have you!" Gwen yelled angrily, walking towards him and handing out the card. "Fine," Olive replied, knowing full well that this one wouldn't give up.
As Oliver took the card, Gwen's eyes lit up, finally feeling satisfied. "Well, see you around," Oliver said, shoving the card into his back pocket and quietly walking away from Gwen. "I sure hope not," Gwen replied.
Soon, there was a change in the air, as humans began appearing back into the streets, allowing them to take the road that they had built once again. It was perfect for keeping humans away when unlit; any conflict was resolved.
...
[The next... APR 12]
Oliver's eyes opened just a moment before the tune of the alarm on his bedside kicked in. Precisely at 06:00 AM, as he was a creature of habit. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he spun around to make his bed. Unrinckling the sheets by tucking their corners, then puffing the pillow and placing them on the top.
Next came his morning shower and the choice of the appropriate clothing. Picking out a T-shirt, jersey, and trousers. Immediately after putting on his running shoes, he left for his morning run along the side of the same shore he was attacked on last night.
...
[Shifters] were smaller since it was typical for [Shifters] to go about killing each other. Countless wars and baseless conflicts had caused a rule to be established by the King, a rule that could make you an Outcast, which essentially made you a common game.
Many humans were running the good run alongside a few [Shifters] who enjoyed participating in their morning ritual. Going about the same smell as the previous night, the fresh lake breeze and moist soil, with the hint of the cold, brought about by the morning. With each step, Oliver came closer to the other apartment complex, and the sun rose slightly.
Until Oliver caught a single glimpse of a girl passing him by with Crimson hair, which forced Oliver to stop and look at her, the girl wore a light pink jersey with rolled-up sleeves showing her fair, reddish skin with black trousers, standard attire for someone running in the morning.
People around ignored unusual hair color, but Oliver did. Feeling a slight ache in his heart at that time, even though he was infuriated. He turned his head back on his path and continued running, as It was too early for him to meet her.
...
Oliver soon reached the second apartment complex, coming downwards to the third part of the Hoyaga residence, a commercial district.
Spotting a cafe meant breakfast for the young man since he still hadn't bought any ingredients or groceries for his kitchen. Oliver sat outside underneath the shades blocking the clear sky, with the sun rising on the horizon. His order concluded in a complete breakfast in New Orleans.
A large dinner plate with; two fried eyes with running yoks and garnished with chives, two strips of crispy bacon, two Italian sausages wrapped up in grease, four pancakes slapped on each other and topped with three pieces of butter, and at last, a side of coffee and tin of maple syrup.
The time passed quickly as the flavors combined and melted on Oliver'stongue. However, he didn't pay much attention to the rest of the crowd around him. He did notice those who shouldn't be ignored.
...
Firstly, there was the army of students crawling out of their homes and marching down to the Hoyaga Academy. Few were at the cafe to eat or to talk to one another. Among the few stood out as most probably as [Shifters].
A girl with black hair, wearing the uniform from Hoyaga academy, is having a cup of coffee with a side of cheesecake and is accompanied by two butlers standing beside her. Going a little further, a cubby student sat in Hoyaga Academy uniform, stretching over his belly.
He had a dark skin tone with rainbow-dyed hair color, and he had a whole platter of dessert that the cafe could provide or produce. In front of his supposed friend, who had long dark green hair and a brownish skin tone, he was drinking his iced tea through a straw.
Further in the cafe stood a table with three ladies sitting with a Hoyaga Academy student with Light yellow hair, not blond, tight into a small ponytail. He had a deck of cards in his, which he had spread out on the table. He showed them the back and the front of his hand, then proceeded to bring his hand towards the ear of one of the ladies to his side.
With his finger, he pushed her hair behind her ears while the lady watched in equal anticipation and embarrassment. Just then, not only did he pull out her card from behind her ear, but he also pulled out a single rose and handed it to her. The other two were awed in amazement, while the one getting handed to smiled embarrassedly.
Another student came behind the first one; this one had light blue and messed up hair, almost as if he had forgotten to use a hairbrush. He showed the first one his wristwatch, and then the first one excused the ladies and got up to leave. Seeing them get up, the rainbow head and green head also got up to leave.
Oliver picked up the napkin from the table and wiped his mouth as the girl with black hair stood up as a black limo stopped in front of the cafe. The blackhead suddenly looked over at Oliver, who just happened to be looking at her. As one of the butlers came forward and opened the door for her, she gave Oliver a faint smile while sitting inside.
Oliver at first stared in confusion, but as the limo drove away, he ignored that and got up from his table since he had much to do before dropping at Hoyaga Academy himself.
...
Passing in front of a smaller house-looking shop labeled the Core Exchange Shop, wholly made out of greenish-cyan Dream Wood. The shop was small and stood in the middle of the large land.
The Cores looked and felt like crystals and were found in the center or somewhere particular of every monster from the [Otherworld]. Every core would contain a fragment of the monster's ability and could be used via consumption for a single or maybe more uses, depending on the size.
While Oliver stood outside admiring it, the door opened. A maroon-haired Middle schooler stepped outside with tired, dark purple eyes. She immediately looked at Oliver with a slight panic since it wasn't typical for a [Shifter] to have black hair.
Oliver raised his hand in, hinting at her to pause, "Don't worry, I am a [Sifter]," Oliver quickly said.
Hearing this, she immediately calmed down and sighed before closing the door. She started walking around on the same path as the department store. Hence, Oliver started walking behind her.
Of course, she noticed it and immediately turned around to look at him. "Who are you, and why are you following me," She said with narrow eyes and in panic. "I am not following you, just heading to the department store," Oliver said, pointing at the corner of the street.
...EXTRA...
An [Shifter]'s ability is limited to the person's logic, creativity, understanding, and belief. However, the Ability type would be determined by inheritance from the family line. But it is up to the [Shifter] himself to determine how he/she portrays and evolves it. Even a simple fortune teller's crystal ball could become a calamity.