"The... the Reaper?!" Shepard shouted breaking the silence. He had nearly dropped his weapon in this frenzy of information.
Although Cooper kept his silence the amazed look on his face remained. He had heard stories of an agent inside the B.V.A with unmatched potential and ability. And to think that the person he was fascinated with was a seventeen-year-old kid was no less than shocking.
Harp walked up to Maxwell, flicking the cigarette out of his mouth.
"Stop fuckin' with us. We know the reaper's one of them, secret agents. No way, pretty boy Lenoir is the damn reaper." He spat out seemingly in disbelief.
"Ha, believe it or not, kid's the reaper. Hell, he could take on every a hundred A-Rank variants without taking as much as a scratch. Only issue? Guys a complete nutjob, a prick, and a raging narcist. But even I gotta admit when someone special." Maxwell finished.
Harp scratched his head as he listened to Maxwell. "Whatever let's just keep an eye out. I hear them talking.
***
"Kaine Lenoir, I'm surprised you showed up." The man in front of me said.
After landing on the roof I was instructed on what floor to come down to, there waiting for me was the same guy from the opening announcement of the academy. He sat in a chair in a corner of a poorly light office room, how the room even had power I had no idea.
He had on an all-black, full-face neck gaiter. With some sort of old goggles on top of them. Only the skin from the top of his nose to the bottom of his hairline was exposed. Leaving two brown eyes staring at me. On his body was a worn dark brown trenchcoat with black pants. The outfit wasn't honestly all that bad however, he could have done a better job matching the colors.
"Hello? Are you listening?" He asked me, snapping me out of my daze.
I scratched my temple before flashing an awkward smile. "Nah, sorry! Mind repeating?" I asked him putting my hand on the back of my head."
He stared at me for a moment, before shaking his head and continuing what he had to say.
"As I was saying, I bet you wonder why you're here. Why I the mastermind behind your parent's death would invite you for a fireside chat." He said, exclaiming almost every other two words.
This guy was kind of annoying. But I had nothing better to do so I continued to amuse him.
"You bastard! How could you!" I shouted, although my delivery was a bit flat I believed my acting to be solid. He smirked, adjusting his glasses he continued.
"Heh, even a cold-hearted bastard like you agonizes over his parents. Anywho, a year ago do you know anything about Quantum and Night-Owl going to Morroco? Specifically to stop a pair of cat burglars? While it just so happens to be that those people were my parents!"
He shouted twirling around while his arms stood outstretched. I simply watched the performance of this weird guy.
I looked at him quizzically, my brow furrowing as I spoke up.
"So... A simple revenge thing? My parents kill yours you kill mine?" I asked him. Upon hearing my words I could see the crease of his lips from behind the mask. He began to laugh, almost hysterically.
"You! Do you think that's why?! Hahaha!"He continued to chuckle. "No no no, it's much deeper than the Kaine, me and you were joined by fate, I'm your nemesis. You and I are meant to walk a twisted path, you the hero and me your enemy. And in the end, a duel with one's sword impaled through the chest of another." He shouted continuing his ramblings.
Now I was considering if this guy actually had some issues... well he did kill a bunch of people so it's more likely.
Unbeknownst to me, my body had reacted to this new information before I even had the chance to think of a response. I felt my lips curl as muffled laughs came from my throat.
"Ha..."I let out covering my mouth to stop myself from running his moment.
"Bahaha! You are one funny guy man, you and my arch nemesis? A sword through the chest Jesus it's like you're ripped right from a manga."
His face twisted up as he looked at me scornfully.
"You... You dare mock our fate?!" Snapping his hand a cube no larger than five inches appeared in his hand. It was glowing an odd purple, that lit up the room dimly.
"Feel my power you swine!" He shouted before directing a hole in the cube toward me.
A beam of purple energy streaked through the air, dodging it I watched as it rushed past me hitting the concrete wall. What I hadn't 4xpected was for the blast in the hole to be completely eradicated.
I continued dodging the streaks of energy as I thought about what to do.
"You sneaky bastard! Quit moving! I offered you to have a legacy, a story those would remember for ages! As a fallen hero or a brave victor! But you, you not only ignore my offer, but you laugh at it? A powerless fool like you, who only has his parent's name! You mock me?!" He continued shouting.
Upon hearing his words something inside me twisted, something I hadn't felt in years.
"Who the hell said I was powerless?" I asked.
Our eyes met and for just a moment I watched his body recoil. He was afraid...
Regaining his constitution he gripped the cube even tighter before it transformed itself into a black and purple sword.
Rushing at me with one hand on the blade and the other in his pocket he sliced at my neck. Stepping away from the blade he missed.
I jumped back a few feet to create some distance between the both of us. That's when I felt it once again. Something screaming at me, an itch that needed scratching. I needed to take off the ring, the ring that had stayed so close to my heart and mind.
The ring that was holding me back.