As Constantine stirred back to consciousness, he found himself lying on a comfortable couch in a warmly lit apartment. Blinking groggily, he tried to piece together the events that had led him here. Memories of the chaotic battle in the hospital courtyard flooded back to him, followed by a sense of gratitude towards the two men who had stood by his side. Sitting in armchairs nearby were the two men, their gazes fixed on Constantine with a mixture of concern and relief. The middle-aged man spoke first, his voice gentle yet firm.
"Welcome back, Constantine. My name is Marcus Winchester," he said, his tone carrying a weight of authority. "And this," he gestured to the other man, "is Kento Salvatore."
Kento nodded in acknowledgment, his expression unreadable as he regarded Constantine with a steady gaze.
"We are Outcasts," Marcus continued, his voice tinged with a sense of solemnity. "Many call us antimages; we're a group of people rejected by both human and supernatural societies because of our abilities; I won't lie to you, it's a hard life. But we have a purpose, Constantine. We hunt down rogue mages and creatures that harm the innocent."
Constantine's mind raced with questions, each one clamoring for attention. He struggled to find his voice amidst the torrent of thoughts, but eventually, he managed to speak.
"Why me?" he asked, his voice hesitant. "Why did the mages in Silver Haven target me?"
Marcus exchanged a glance with Kento before turning back to Constantine, his expression grave.
"You possess a rare gift, Constantine," Marcus explained. "They sought to study and exploit your powers for their own gain, hoping to understand our secrets."
"You're one of us, Constantine," Kento interjected, his voice firm but not unkind. His voice surprised Constantine: it was deep, almost too deep to match his delicate features. "The mages see us as the greatest threat to their power. That's why they wanted to study you."
Constantine's mind reeled at the revelation, his thoughts spinning with a mixture of confusion and anger. He had been nothing more than a pawn in this twisted game, his powers almost exploited for their own gain. Marcus placed a reassuring hand on Constantine's shoulder.
"We're sorry we didn't find you before your awakening," Marcus said, his voice heavy with regret. "But now that you're here, we need your help, Constantine. There's a lot you have to learn about yourself and about the true nature of the world we live in."
The weight of Marcus' words settled heavily on Constantine's shoulders; he looked between Marcus and Kento, seeing in their eyes a shared sense of caution.
"What about my life? My friends, Vicky, my -"
"It can't be helped, Constantine," Kento said calmly. "There's a reason they call us Outcasts; I'm afraid that returning to your former life will be impossible. Also, think about your loved ones. Would you like it if they were harmed by these mages? If they were used against you?"
Kento sighed and continued, with a softer tone.
"At least stay long enough to learn about your abilities and how to defend yourself. Learn about the world behind the Veil. And if you still want to leave after that, we won't stop you – at least I won't. We don't force others to join our cause. But you can do a lot of good if you stay." "And," he said with a smirk, "you can get your revenge against those bastards."
Constantine was lost in thought. He didn't want to risk his loved ones. He didn't want to put Vicky's life in danger… wait, is she safe? What about Mrs. Hindley?
"Wait a minute," he said, "I was attacked by my neighbor, Mrs. Hindley; she turned into a monster and practically mauled me. My girlfriend still lives there!" he exclaimed.
Marcus, in a calm, reassuring voice, replied; "Don't worry, we already have someone watching over her. Unfortunately, Myra Hindley disappeared immediately after your abduction. From your description, it seems like she's a shapeshifter but without knowing more I can't speculate about what species and which faction she belongs in."
"A shapeshifter?" Constantine remarked. "Does it mean that she could still be around, looking like someone else?"
"No," Kento replied. Our eyes are not fooled by transformations. Even if the shapeshifter is of high rank, we can always tell when something is different than how it appears; didn't you see anything bizarre about Myra Hindley when she attacked you?
"Actually, yeah," Constantine replied. "She looked… wrong. I can't put my finger on it but looking at her really creeped me out, like seeing something that shouldn't be there."
"Close enough," Kento responded. "With some practice, you'll get better at spotting things like that."
"So, Constantine," Marcus interjected. "What's your answer? Will you join us, at least for now, or not?"
"I'm in," Constantine declared, his voice steady despite the uncertainty that still lingered within him. "I'll join you, at least until I can make sure that I can protect myself and my loved ones."
As Constantine affirmed his decision to join their cause, Marcus and Kento exchanged a knowing glance, a sense of relief evident in their eyes.
"Good," Marcus said, a hint of satisfaction coloring his voice. "First things first, we need to relocate to our base in this city. It's safer there, away from prying eyes."
Constantine nodded, understanding the necessity of moving to a more secure location.
"Once we're settled in, we'll begin your training," Marcus continued, his tone firm yet encouraging.
Constantine nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. "What kind of training?" he asked, curious about what lay ahead.
"I'll teach you about your powers, how to control them, and how to use them effectively. We'll also work on hand-to-hand combat and weapons training," Marcus said.
Kento chimed in, his deep voice laced with a hint of amusement. "And I'll be your training and sparring partner," he added, a faint smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "You'll learn quicker with someone pushing you."
Constantine couldn't help but grin at Kento's remarks, feeling a sense of unease coursing through him. To him, Kento seemed a little too eager to kick his ass. However, he had to play the hand that he was dealt.
"Sounds good to me," he lied through his teeth.
As they finalized their plans for the move, Marcus spoke once more, his voice tinged with anticipation.
"There are a few more Outcasts in the city," Marcus explained. "They're eager to meet you, Constantine. Some of them are a little rough around the edges but we all treat each other like family; in a sense, we are one." he added.
"Alright," Constantine said. "I'm ready."
Marcus nodded. That was good enough.
For now.